New hair, new tee, but no new name for NewJeans. The K-pop group have been embroiled in a difficult legal battle with their label ADOR, a subsidiary of the international entertainment group Hybe. NewJeans alleged that their contract with ADOR is void due to the label's harassment and mistreatment. The label, however, insists that these allegations of mistreatment are false, and that their contract remains legal, which prevents them from engaging in "entertainment activities without the label's approval," per CNN.

Recently, NewJeans attempted to rebrand under the name "NJZ". Today, the Seoul Central District Court sided with ADOR, claiming that if NewJeans were to rename themselves to "NJZ" and leave the label, it would "seriously damage" ADOR's reputation. The court ruled in favor of ADOR's injunction request, which bans NewJeans from engaging in independent activities.

NewJeans are still expected to perform at the ComplexCon Hong Kong festival on Sunday. Originally, the performance was to be the group's debut under their new name. ADOR released a statement following the court's decision, confirming that the performance would continue if the group performs under their original name.

In response to the court's decision, the band released their own statement, arguing that they "did not have sufficient opportunity to fully present the factual background to the court."

The court decision follows months of conflict between NewJeans and ADOR/Hybe. Trouble for the five-piece group first began due to conflicts between ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, who served as NewJeans' executive producer, and Hybe Corporation executives in April 2024. The group announced the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR in November of 2024.