When the Newjeans debuted in 2022, few could have foreseen their meteoric increase. Within a year, they were not just another group of girls: they were the IT group of their generation. With successes such as “attention”, “hype boy”, “idem” and “omg”, the members inaugurated what the fans have affected the nicknamed with affection “The era of Newjeans.”
But in 2025, things seem very different. Known now as Njz, the group has been inactive for months due to a bitter legal feud with Ador, the label that once managed them. And while time drags, fans are starting to ask a new question: if Njz comes back, k-pop will still have space for them?
The problem began in April 2024 when the tensions between the CEO of Ador Min Hee-Jin and the mother company Hybe poured to the public. What followed was a pulled power struggle that soon dragged Newjeans into the fray. In November of that year, the members declared that they would no longer continue under Ador, citing a “breakdown of trust”. They opened independent social media accounts, made fun of the shows abroad and even started using a new NJZ name that reported a new beginning.
But that independence was short -lived. In March 2025, a court crashed with Ador, granting an injunction that prevented members from signing contracts, releasing music or performing. The group’s appeals were rejected, leaving their third anniversary to pass in silence, without music or celebrations.
While Njz remained silent, the k-pop industry no. The fifth generation groups of girls are making their debut rapidly and the groups that have once been followed behind the Newjeans have consolidated on top both in Korea and abroad.
This changing landscape is surprising the fans: even if Njz returned tomorrow, would their impact be the same anyway?
On forums like Theqoo, opinions are divided. Some believe that Njz’s time has already passed:
- Honestly, I don’t really miss it. There are too many groups to replace them.
- Realistically, the tests do not end quickly … When it is over, it will be too late.
- Even if they come back, I don’t think I can see them as before.
- They became the very definition of self-sabotage.
Others remain full of hope, indicating their unique sound and the loyalty of their fan base:
- As long as they come back, they will do well. Many people are waiting for.
- If it weren’t for Bang Si-Hyuk’s whims, they would still be at the top.
- Waiting for their new songs, TBH. Nothing strikes like Newjeans.
And then there are those who capture the hard reality of K-Pop: “Nowhere replaces the faster k-pop” idols “ AND “They should have just finished the contract with Hybe and leave in silence, instead of wasting years in legal actions.”
The experts in the sector largely agree that the reconciliation with Ador is unlikely that an “already burnt bridge”. This means that Njz’s future depends entirely on courts and legal battles in Korea are rarely resolved quickly. Even if they come back, regaining their old status will not be easy. K-Pop thrives on the momentum and, after months or years of silence, the market could already have passed. However, many fans cling to the hope of listening to new music again. And if there is one thing that Njz has shown in their short but powerful race, it is that they can redefine the scene when the possibility has been given to him.
For now, however, the history of the group remains one of the greatest “What-IFS” of K-Pop. What do you think? Njz can return as the icons that were once or k-pop has already written his next chapter without them?
Sources: Koreaboo
