NewJeans’ Side “Contract with BANA? Completely False + Taking Strong Legal Action”
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Industry Insiders Mention NJZ (NewJeans)’s New Agency
On February 14th, multiple industry sources told media outlet TenAsia that NewJeans (NJZ) has recently entrusted the agency BANA (full name BEASTS AND NATIVES ALIKE) with the management of their entertainment activities. It is known that producers from BANA have previously collaborated with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin on several NewJeans tracks.
In addition, a music critic familiar with the industry added, “BANA is handling overseas media interview requests for the NewJeans members, essentially acting as their agency.”
A veteran music label executive also noted, “Many people see NewJeans, Min Hee-jin, and BANA as working together to navigate ongoing issues”, whereas a representative from a major entertainment agency also stated, “As far as I know, BANA is assisting with NewJeans’ activities.”
Two producers affiliated with BANA, 250 (Lee Oh-gong) and FRNK (Frank), have contributed to many of NewJeans’ hit songs. BANA not only produces music but also operates as an entertainment agency, representing artists such as f(x)’s Krystal and rapper Beenzino.
However, on February 14th, the parents of NewJeans stated through the ‘njz_pr’ account, “NJZ has never signed or even discussed any contract with BANA. The article cites ‘multiple industry insiders’ as sources, but this is an absurd fabrication. It appears to be an attempt to create controversy by publishing without confirming the facts with the parties involved or with BANA.”
The parents also expressed their intent to take legal action against TenAsia, “We will file a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission and pursue strong criminal action against TenAsia for continuously spreading such false information without fact-checking.” They further criticized the outlet, “They have repeatedly published completely false reports as if they were established facts, leading to numerous derivative articles. As a result, the members and other involved parties have suffered extreme mental distress.”
Additionally, they called out a specific journalist from TenAsia, identified as “Lee”, urging that they “take full legal responsibility for the article and the spread of false information”.
Meanwhile, previously on the 7th, NewJeans member Hyein mentioned during an Instagram live broadcast that the girl group will have a new agency soon.
So far, TenAsia has attempted to verify the aforementioned information by reaching out to BANA multiple times, but the company has not responded.
Cryptic Comment from BANA Rapper
During a live broadcast on February 6, when a fan asked “I heard BANA is debuting a new girl group, do you know about it?“, Kim Ximya replied “I know” before briefly showing a startled expression then trying to act nonchalant, raising further suspicions.
Notably, this live broadcast took place just one day before NJZ was revealed, leading some fans to speculate that the NewJeans members might move to BANA under the name NJZ. However, others urge caution, noting that this remains fan speculation.
Rumors that BANA could be NewJeans’ new home have been spreading rapidly, with key points supporting the theory: Kim Ximya’s mention of BANA’s new girl group right before NJZ’s announcement, and BANA’s connections to many producers formerly associated with ex-ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
Currently, NJZ is expected to operate as an independent brand, but no official statement has been made regarding their agency or future activities.
Whether Kim Ximya’s comment was just a coincidence or a hint about NJZ’s next steps remains unclear, but curiosity about NewJeans’ future and the fate of NJZ continues to grow.
