NewJeans made their third consecutive appearance at the Asia Artist Awards (AAA 2024), held on December 27 at IMPACT Challenger Hall 1-2 in Bangkok.
Having made their debut at AAA 2022, where they won Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, NewJeans continued their success in AAA 2023 with 6 awards, including Song of the Year. This year, they earned the Artist of the Year award, Best Artist, and Best Performance at the ‘AAA 2024,’ marking their third consecutive win.
During the acceptance speech for Best Artist, member Minji caught attention by addressing the audience without mentioning the group’s name. She expressed gratitude, saying, “We are so thankful to have received an award at AAA for three consecutive years. Thank you so much to our fans, to my fellow members, and to the hairstylists, makeup artists, and managers who always support us.” However, she concluded her speech without acknowledging ADOR, their agency.
This omission sparked criticism from netizens, who argued that NewJeans failed to show appreciation for ADOR, the agency that supported them for three years since their debut.
Previously, on November 28, NewJeans announced at a press conference their intent to terminate their exclusive contract with ADOR, citing a breach of contract.
Adding fuel to the controversy, on December 2, Dispatch reported allegations involving Min Heejin, the former head of ADOR, suggesting tampering and political involvement in a national audit involving NewJeans member Hanni. According to Dispatch, on September 30, Min Heejin held a three-hour meeting with “Chairman A,” the actual owner of Davorlink. This meeting was allegedly arranged by “Mr. B,” a relative of a NewJeans member. Dispatch also published photos showing Min Heejin and Mr. B entering Chairman A’s residence in Cheongdam-dong after riding together in a Carnival vehicle.
