NewJeans (NJZ) Undergoes Instagram Rebranding Amidst Legal Challenges
On April 4, 2025, K-pop enthusiasts were taken aback when popular girl group NewJeans—also recognized as NJZ—appear to have erased their Instagram account, @njz_official, originally launched in February 2025. This move followed their dramatic exit from ADOR in November 2024, announced in an emergency press conference.
NewJeans’ situation led to the creation of two new accounts: @mhdhh_friends and @mhdhh_pr, which have attracted a noteworthy following of 5.2 million and 335 thousand respectively. This transition sparked speculations among fans about a potential rebranding strategy by the group. Observations indicated that the group’s Instagram handle underwent a change rather than deletion; they transitioned from @njz_official to @mhdhh_friends, eliminating all previous posts and profile images.
Fans uncovered that “MHDHH”is an acronym derived from the initials of the group members: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. However, official communication regarding this rebranding or the rationale behind the Instagram handle shift remains elusive.
Following a court session on March 21, which addressed ADOR’s legal pursuit to validate their contract with NewJeans, the agency received court approval to limit the group’s capacity for independent endeavors. Shortly after, on March 23, the members announced a hiatus from their activities, leading many to connect the dots between the recent court ruling, the Instagram changes, and the hiatus announcement.
Hiatus Announcement at Complex Con 2025: A Temporary Farewell for NJZ
Immediately after declaring their split from ADOR, the agency expressed dissatisfaction with NewJeans’ decision, resulting in a lawsuit designed to bar the members from pursuing activities independently. Before the initial courtroom confrontation, NJZ had rebranded and commenced promotions under their new identity.
The group’s inaugural project under their NJZ branding occurred at Complex Con 2025, held in Hong Kong on March 23. Despite the ongoing legal hurdles, the members performed, having been granted ADOR’s permission for this final independent engagement. Following the event, they revealed their hiatus and issued the following statement:
“It feels heavy to deliver this news. Today’s performance seems like it will be our last one for a while. We have decided to pause all activities for the time being in respect of the court’s verdict. It wasn’t an easy decision, but we believe it is a necessary one. We will be back, no matter what, after taking some time off to collect ourselves. We really want to greet you all with brighter smiles at that time.”
During this heartfelt address, the members expressed profound gratitude for the unwavering support of fans throughout their challenging journey. In contrast, following the announcement of the group’s hiatus, ADOR officially characterized the decision as unilateral and invited the members to liaise with the agency regarding future projects.