NewJeans Is Four Again. Minji Is Coming Back.
On May 7, Minji's birthday, ADOR posted cookies she baked herself to NewJeans' official social media accounts. The caption read "HAPPY MINJI DAY." It was the first time the group's official channels had publicly acknowledged Minji since the collapse of NewJeans' relationship with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in late 2024.
The cookies were the same ones Minji handed out to fans when she visited a fan-organized birthday café event earlier this week. The move functioned as a quiet signal before the formal statement that followed. An ADOR representative told multiple Korean outlets Thursday that discussions regarding Minji's future activities "are continuing" and "are generally moving in a positive direction." The agency declined to share specific details or a timeline.
The context matters. In November 2024, all five NewJeans members - Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein, and Danielle - declared their exclusive contracts with ADOR terminated, citing the label's breach of duty following Min Hee-jin's removal as CEO. The group began operating independently. ADOR filed suit. In October 2025, NewJeans lost the first-instance lawsuit confirming their contracts with ADOR remained valid. Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein subsequently announced their return to the label. Danielle received a contract termination notification from ADOR and is not part of the current return discussions. Minji - the only remaining member whose status had been unresolved - has been the variable that determined whether NewJeans would come back as a three- or four-member group.
Thursday's birthday post, which constitutes NewJeans' first official acknowledgment of Minji as part of the group since the dispute began, effectively answers that question before the formal announcement does. ADOR has not set a date for any comeback activities, and the agency has separately announced legal action against Danielle's family and Min Hee-jin, whom it holds responsible for prolonging the dispute.
The remaining piece is a confirmed return date and the question of what a NewJeans four-member lineup looks like for a group that built its identity - musically and visually - around all five members from debut.
