Critic calls NewJeans' one-year hiatus 'fatal' amid losing contracts to Stray Kids, aespa and more
Will NewJeans' hiatus lead to their downfall?
Popular music critic Kim Do Heon shared his thoughts on the NewJeans vs ADOR controversy and how the girl group's hiatus might serve as an irreparable setback for them. According to him, NewJeans is more than just a meticulously crafted team; they are a group that authentically embodies the creator's vision. He mentioned, "No one has passed that level of organicity and unity." However, things might take an unwanted turn with the hiatus.
Indications of the same are already emerging. Notably, aespa recently shot a performance video using an iPhone, for a sponsored campaign, just like NewJeans' ETA music video. Similarly, NMIXX's Haewon landed an individual endorsement deal with Coca-Cola, while Stray Kids became the new faces of Pepero, a brand NewJeans had represented for two consecutive years.
The luxury goods sector is also reflecting this change, as evidenced by Minji's omission from the Chanel ambassador roster.
Critic Kim Do Heon shared that "K-pop is an industry that moves very quickly. With hundreds of new groups being released, a one-year hiatus is fatal to even the most successful groups [like NewJeans]." Following the girl group's last Korean single How Sweet, released on May 24, 2024 and Japanese debut album Supernatural, released on June 21, 2024, they have not had any comebacks. The reason for the same is their battle with ADOR.
Legally the case hasn't been in favour of the girls, with their plans to rebrand as NJZ falling apart, and them losing deals to other K-pop artists. However, ambassador activities within the ADOR contract still seem to be going on fine, as recently, Danielle attended Omega's launch event.
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