NewJeans has proven just how popular they are in Japan, achieving incredible success in their first year since debuting there!

According to their agency ADOR on January 10th, NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein) ranked 2nd in Oricon's prestigious Annual New Artist Ranking for 2024. What’s even more impressive? This ranking is the highest ever achieved by any overseas artist in the list!

The New Artist Ranking takes into account various sales, including singles, albums, streaming, and music DVDs. Oricon revealed that NewJeans earned an impressive 2.09 billion yen in sales during the tracking period (from December 11, 2023, to December 8, 2024).

NewJeans made an unforgettable debut in Japan in June last year, and their debut single "Supernatural" quickly shot to the top of the Oricon chart. It was certified Gold Disc by the Japan Record Association for shipping over 100,000 copies. The album itself has sold over 1.3 million copies (as of the December Circle Chart). The title track “Supernatural” topped major Japanese music charts and even ranked high on both local and international charts, despite being a Japanese single.

But that’s not all! NewJeans made history by becoming the fastest overseas artist to perform at the Tokyo Dome, doing so in just 1 year and 11 months. Their Tokyo Dome fan meeting “Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome,” held on June 26-27 last year, sold out completely, drawing 91,200 fans.

On top of these amazing achievements, NewJeans was awarded the Excellent Work Award at the 66th Shining! Japan Record Awards for their hit song "Supernatural." They also stole the spotlight at local year-end television events, becoming the first K-pop girl group to perform at Japan’s largest indoor festival, "Countdown Japan 24/25," on December 31.

Clearly, NewJeans is taking Japan by storm, and their success shows no signs of slowing down.

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Hanni of NewJeans is facing some serious attention after reports emerged about her supposed "illegal stay" in South Korea. The Seoul Immigration Agency has now responded, saying they will take action once her agency relationship is fully settled.

On January 10th, the Immigration and Foreign Affairs Investigation Division of the Seoul Immigration Office addressed the issue, confirming that they are aware of the petition regarding Hanni’s legal status. They stated, "Appropriate action will be taken once the employment relationship between the parties is resolved."

Hanni, who holds dual citizenship from Australia and Vietnam, is currently in South Korea on an 'E-6 visa', which is required for foreign entertainers working in the country. This visa needs to be extended for her to stay in South Korea.

However, the situation is complicated. The Immigration Division explained, "We cannot comment on specific cases like whether an individual has violated the Immigration Control Act, due to the nature of this petition."

They added, "But, for foreign entertainers on an 'E-6 visa', their stay qualifications and duration depend on employment contracts with domestic agencies. Once the employment relationship is resolved, appropriate measures will follow."

The issue arose when an anonymous report claimed Hanni did not return her foreigner registration card within the 15-day window after declaring she was no longer working under ADOR on December 13. This sparked concerns about her stay being illegal.

To keep or extend her 'E-6 visa', Hanni needs to be signed under a registered entertainment agency. She originally had her visa issued with ADOR’s sponsorship, but after leaving the agency, her visa status is now in limbo.

Currently, Hanni’s 'E-6 visa' is set to expire in less than a month. She is in a difficult position because she has not requested a visa extension from ADOR, nor has she signed a new exclusive contract with another agency.

This makes her the first among NewJeans members to find herself in such a situation, leaving her in a potentially unfavorable legal position.

NewJeans members, including Hanni, claimed their contracts with ADOR were terminated on November 29 due to unmet demands, which they considered a violation. Since then, the group has been working independently under the name 'New Jeans' with former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin.

As the legal battle continues, fans are waiting to see how this will unfold. Will Hanni be able to resolve her visa issues, or will the immigration agency step in?

Source[1]