According to media outlet TopStarNews on March 28, Incheon Airport Customs Office of the Korea Customs Service denied the rumors of a failure to renew its contract with the group NJZ (New Jeans), its promotional ambassadors.
According to Incheon Airport Customs, they signed a one-year public relations ambassador contract with NJZ (New Jeans) in March of last year, and the contract expires at the end of this month. Recently, there were reports that the contract renewal had not been completed, but it has been revealed that this is not true.
Regarding the matter, an official said, “As the contract expiration date approaches, we will discuss with NJZ (New Jeans) to review whether to extend the contract. The banner photos hanging at Incheon Airport have not been removed and there are no plans to do so. The removal of the NJZ (New Jeans) banner is not true.”
Meanwhile, according to Seoul Economic Daily on March 27, the Incheon Airport Customs did not renew its promotional ambassador contract with NewJeans, and as a result, the banners featuring the group at the airport arrivals hall have been taken down.
When appointing NewJeans as official promotional ambassadors last year, the Incheon Airport Customs stated, “NewJeans is an artist group leading a new paradigm in K-pop and has had a significant impact on the cultural and music industries. Based on this influence, they were deemed suitable to promote customs administration including high-quality clearance services and crackdowns on illegal goods—to both Korean citizens and international travelers.”
However, just one month after the appointment, in April 2024, a management dispute between Min Hee Jin, former CEO of NewJeans’ agency ADOR, and parent company HYBE emerged, rapidly changing the situation. As the conflict dragged on, the Incheon Airport Customs found it difficult to achieve the promotional effect they had initially expected.
Meanwhile, on March 21, the Civil Division 50 of the Seoul Central District Court granted ADOR’s injunction request to preserve its status as NewJeans’ management agency and to prohibit the group from signing advertising contracts independently. As a result, until the first trial decision in the main lawsuit is made, NewJeans is not allowed to engage in independent activities without the agency’s agreement.
