On March 28, a truck protest by Bunnies (the fandom name of NewJeans) continued to take place in front of the HYBE building in Yongsan, Seoul. With this, the process has been ongoing for two consecutive days, demanding the breakup between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and the members.
On this day, the trucks display phrases such as, “The adults around NewJeans who hide when NewJeans are criticized, stop gaslighting”, “Support NewJeans for the five members, not NJZ (New Jeans) who act for six (including Min Hee-jin)”, and “We support New Jeans that will shine on stage with any producer”, urging the members of New Jeans to stop working with former CEO Min Hee-jin.
They also appealed to the members of New Jeans to return to ADOR and resume normal activities, saying, “We want to see three minutes on stage rather than three years that would be wasted in a lawsuit”, “We trusted you and waited until now, so listen to us when we say you should go back”, “After three years of lawsuits, whether you win or lose, the fans will get tired and leave“, and “NewJeans, talk to ADOR”
Previously on March 27, the bold truck protest, held by a group of NewJeans fans made waves outside HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, calling on the members and their families to reconsider their current legal stance and respect contractual obligations. The messages were a stark contrast to the vocal support shown by the fan union “Team Bunnies,” which has firmly backed NewJeans’ declaration of contract termination with ADOR.
The digital billboards mounted on the trucks delivered blunt messages:
- “Team Bunnies does not speak for the entire fandom. Dialogue between NewJeans and ADOR is needed.”
- “Adults around NewJeans, stop the gaslighting.”
- “Already a 1-year hiatus, and another 3 years could be lost to lawsuits. Everyone will forget.”
Fans behind the protest expressed concern over the potential financial fallout, including massive penalty fees, breach fines, and a slew of lawsuits that could result from the group’s current course of action.
Messages on the trucks included:
- “If adults truly care for NewJeans, don’t put them at risk.”
- “An unwinnable fight, astronomical penalties, wake up!”
- “If they regret it later, the risks NewJeans will bear will be too great.”
The protest came just days after the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 50 ruled in favor of ADOR on March 21, granting an injunction that barred NewJeans from signing independent contracts. This directly challenged the group’s claim that their contract with ADOR had been terminated as of November 2024, and cast doubt on their ability to continue independent activities.
Despite the court ruling, NewJeans has filed an appeal and continued to assert their position through high-profile foreign media. In a March 22 interview with TIME, the members expressed disappointment in the court’s decision, stating, “It’s disappointing. Maybe Korea wants to turn us into revolutionaries.” A March 26, BBC News Korea interview also saw the group denying speculation that former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin was orchestrating their actions.
Meanwhile, NewJeans remains largely absent from public schedules. At the ComplexCon event held in Hong Kong on March 23, the group announced a temporary suspension of activities, heightening concern among fans about the group’s uncertain future.
As legal and emotional tensions continue to escalate, the truck protest has added yet another layer of complexity. Rather than standing united, the fandom now appears divided between unconditional support and cautious realism, with the former urging loyalty and the latter pleading for practicality.
The question remains: can NewJeans find a way back to stability before the legal and reputational damage becomes irreversible?