NewJeans has rebranded itself as NJZ and will embark on its new activities at ComplexCon Hong Kong. We have all the updated details of how fans are reacting to this news and why they chose this name!
Why have New Jeans rebranded under the name NJZ?
It is no secret that during the last half of 2024, the girls had a hard time adapting to new management at HYBE following the very public and drawn-out departure of former HYBE's subsidiary label ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin.
Since then, there have been very public protests to oust Min Hee Jin at the time, and for the girls to step down. This was due to the conflict of their contracts with their record label and left many once-adoring NewJeans fans fed up with the ongoing events.
NewJeans has announced a name change to NJZ, and they will make their debut under this new moniker at the ComplexCon Hong Kong festival which is scheduled between March 21st and 23rd 2025.
This marks NJZ’s first activity following their rebranding. The group still consists of five members: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. During their time as NewJeans, they rapidly rose in the K-pop scene, becoming a highly influential and innovative group among Generation Z. Their debut album, NWJNS, garnered over 555.2 million streams, making it the most-streamed girl group album in the history of South Korea’s largest music platform, Melon. Additionally, their debut single surpassed 600 million streams on Spotify.
So what do die-hard K-pop fans think of the rebranded name?
What ComplexCon Hong Kong?
NJZ member Minji expressed her excitement, stating, “I’m very excited to take the stage for the first time as NJZ and show a new side of us. This performance is a very important moment, and we are eagerly looking forward to sharing the new music we’ve been wanting to present to our global fans.” ComplexCon Hong Kong will feature a diverse line-up of artists from various countries, including South Korea, China, Japan, and Hong Kong. Notable performers include Zico, B.I, rapper Sik-K, Changmo, and record producer Lil Moshpit. Chinese-American rapper MC Jin, the first Asian-American rapper to sign with a major record label in the U.S., is also part of the line-up.
Let's check out some of the 2024 ComplexCon highlights!
Will this rebranded name help them?
This is the big question. Simply changing to a new name will certainly not erase the past events and news that K-pop fans had to endure while the girls tried to seek a lot of attention.
ADOR has disputed the allegations, as widely reported by local media, and asserted that the band remains under contract. The label has filed a lawsuit against the group and applied for a court injunction that would prevent NJZ from signing advertising deals.
So how did the name NJZ come about?
The group has previously said its name was a play on words (a double entendre of “new genes”) that also referenced the timeless qualities of a pair of jeans. Marsh (Danielle) said the band spent “a lot of time” considering fans’ suggestions, which included the use of initials, before picking a name that Pham (Hanni) said retained the “essence” of its original moniker.
The group has since begun posting content from a new Instagram account, @jeanzforfree, where they recently appealed to fans to suggest a new name, and since then there have been new YouTube channels and social media accounts under the group's new name.
What do you think of the nae NJZ? Drop a comment and let us know below!
Don't go yet! Check out some of our other articles relating to NJZ (New Jeans)
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