KOR
To mark their 4th anniversary on July 22, NewJeans released a special film titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans" along with new group photos on their official YouTube channel and social media. This marks the first official team content featuring the four members—Minji, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein—in about one year and four months since they suspended activities in March of last year. The content drew particular attention as it is the first full-group official release since NewJeans concluded their prolonged dispute with ADOR and returned. The appearance of Minji, who had reportedly been discussing future activity directions with ADOR, also drew keen interest.
The video begins with Minji appearing alone on a dark summer night, followed by Hyein, Hanni, and Haerin joining sequentially. The scene where the four members hold hands and look in the same direction carried a symbolic message, signifying their reunion after overcoming prolonged uncertainty regarding their future. The production, highlighting NewJeans' iconic rabbit imagery and summer seasonal vibe, also stood out. Among fans, welcoming reactions dominated, such as "The NewJeans-esque sensibility is back" and "It is just glad to see all four of them together."
On the other hand, critical voices emerged regarding the visual quality of the content.
Film poster designer Park Si-young took to social media on the 22nd to criticize the video, calling it " tacky" and leaving comments to the effect of, "What kind of sensibility is this, it is not even the era of Gayo Top Ten, and talentless people just hopped on the bandwagon and reaped all the benefits." He added remarks interpreted as targeting HYBE, saying, "What do you mean by four NewJeans members, the attack (jin-gyuk) is missing from Attack on Titan." Park is a well-known figure who has worked on numerous movie posters including "The Unjust," "Mother," and "The Wailing."
Shin Hee-won, the director behind NewJeans music videos such as "Attention," "Hurt," and "Super Shy," also responded on social media that day with the short phrase, "The power of the director." Given that Director Shin publicly defended former CEO Min Hee-jin during the controversies surrounding her last year by stating, "I know better than anyone how CEO Min thinks of the children," this post is also viewed by some in the industry as carrying a deliberate message.
The creative director for this NewJeans video is Kim Na-yeon, who reportedly remained at ADOR following former CEO Min Hee-jin's resignation and has overseen visuals under the new management system. At a time when many of the key personnel who shaped NewJeans' identity under Min Hee-jin's regime have been replaced, this content also holds exceptional significance in presenting NewJeans' comeback and future.
Inside the industry, views seeing this content as effectively signaling a return as a four-member group are dominant. While ADOR maintains a conventional stance that "specific activity plans and methods will be announced after discussions are fully concluded," weight is leaning toward projections that concrete activity directions will emerge soon, given the release of the full-group video including Minji.
NewJeans had clashed with ADOR after notifying the agency of the termination of their exclusive contract in November 2024, but their activities hit a roadblock when the court sided with the agency in a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the contract. Afterward, Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni returned sequentially, while Danielle was notified of the termination of her exclusive contract.
(SBS Entertainment News Reporter Kang Kyung-yoon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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