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'Rumors about Haerin are false': NewJeans' parents deny internal conflict speculation

Published: 04 Apr. 2025, 22:26 Updated: 06 Apr. 2025, 14:14

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

Members of girl group NewJeans (from left) Hyein, Haerin and Danielle answer questions from reporters outside the Seoul Central District Court building in southern Seoul on March 7 after taking part in a lawsuit against their agency, ADOR. [NEWS1]

Parents of girl group NewJeans' members denied ongoing rumors that one of member Haerin's parents had opposed fighting HYBE and ADOR, stressing that "none of this could have started with everyone's consent."

Rumors began circulating last month that Haerin's mother opposed the idea of a legal battle against the group's agency, ADOR, and did not sign her name as the singer's legal guardian during the ongoing case against ADOR. Haerin, born in May 2006, has to be represented by a legal guardian because she is still a minor.

Online posts claimed that Haerin was only represented by her father, as opposed to other members represented by both of their parents in the suit against ADOR.

Chosun Biz confirmed that the court addressed the issue during a hearing on Thursday, asking whether the Family Court had verified the parental right of "Defendant No. 4." The issue was also mentioned during a hearing on March 7 after ADOR sued to halt NewJeans' members rogue activities.

"Some media reported that 'the members' parents are falling apart,' but that is not true," the parents of the five NewJeans singers said in a press release on Friday evening.

Members of girl group NewJeans leave the Seoul Central District Court building in southern Seoul on March 7 after taking part in the lawsuit against their agency, ADOR. [YONHAP]

The statement was titled "The statement of the parents of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein," notably omitting the names NewJeans or NJZ. The group's parents and members changed their Instagram accounts they had set up under the name NJZ after the court sided with ADOR last month.

The new accounts read "mhdhh_friends," taking the letter of each member's name, and "mhdhh_pr" for the parents' PR account. All posts have been taken down from both accounts.

"All of the five members are clear about their positions that they cannot return to HYBE," continued the parents. "This was a decision that they made after careful talks with their parents. We promised that we would not take any legal action if it wasn't a unanimous decision, so the members are strong in their trust in each other."

The reported parental representation issue did not concern either of Haerin's parents, but rather the mother of another member, the statement read without naming that member.

"We would like to make it clear that all the families of the members respect and support their children," the parents said. "The agency, with whom we must work upon trust, is trying to manipulate public opinion with a member's family issues. We cannot send our children back to such a place.

A picture of members of NewJeans, who called rebranded themselves as NJZ [COMPLEXCON HONG KONG]

"The new management, and ADOR and HYBE, have never showed us trust, and this remains the same to this day," added the parents.

The Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction barring NewJeans from conducting independent activities without ADOR's consent on March 21, following the first hearing that took place on March 7.

The first hearing regarding the legality of NewJeans' termination of its contracts with ADOR took place on Thursday. A second hearing will take place on June 5.

Update: The singers' Instagram accounts were not taken down but changed to "mhdhh_friends" and "mhdhh_pr."

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]