NewJeans has officially changed their group name to NJZ, and it's stirring up a lot of buzz online! While some fans are excited about the new direction, others aren’t so sure about the change.

On February 7th, the members shared the news with fans, saying, "Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein’s new group name is NJZ. Get ready for a surprising journey with NJZ starting in 2025, alongside NewJeans." Along with the announcement, they posted a group photo and revealed that their debut song under the new name would drop on March 23rd.

This move comes after the group announced a contest to pick a new activity name, which led to the creation of NJZ. However, the new name has sparked mixed reactions from netizens.

Some fans are not so thrilled with the change. One fan commented, "Isn’t it just initials?" while another said, "Not great." Others raised concerns about potential legal issues, asking, "What’s the meaning?" and "Isn’t this going to cause problems?"

On the flip side, many fans are excited about the fresh start. Some said, "It’s a bit sad to change the name, but it’s nice that people will still recognize them as NewJeans," and "Looking forward to the fresh start. I support them." Others simply responded, "Perfect fit!" and "Thank you for coming back soon, NJZ."

Despite the fan reactions, there’s also a bit of drama surrounding the name change. NewJeans and their agency, ADOR, have been in a contract dispute since last year. In response to the announcement, ADOR expressed their disappointment to Xports News, saying, "We are very disappointed that the members made this unilateral decision before a legal judgment on the validity of their exclusive contract with ADOR has been made."

ADOR continued, "We will do our best to protect NewJeans’ brand value and are always ready to meet with the members or their legal representatives to resolve any misunderstandings and discuss NewJeans’ future activities."

With a new name, a fresh start, and a major legal battle in the mix, it looks like NJZ (or NewJeans) will be keeping everyone on their toes in 2025! Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

Source (1)

A memorial for 8-year-old Kim Haneul, who tragically lost her life in the Daejeon elementary school murder case, has become a place for people to pay their respects.

What caught the eye of many, however, was a thoughtful flower arrangement sent by K-pop group IVE.

On February 11th, reports revealed that Kim Haneul's memorial has attracted a steady flow of visitors, including family, friends, and even those who didn't know her personally but wanted to mourn her loss.

Among the visitors was Haneul’s father, Mr. A, who shared some touching details about his daughter’s love for IVE, particularly for member Jang Wonyoung.

According to Mr. A, Haneul’s biggest dream was to meet Jang Wonyoung. “Whenever Jang Wonyoung appeared on TV, Haneul would stay up late just to watch her live,” he shared.

The father went on to say, “If anyone from IVE sees this, I would be so thankful if Jang Wonyoung could say a warm goodbye to our Haneul.”

A heartfelt photo card from IVE was placed in front of Haneul’s portrait at the memorial, showing the young girl's admiration for the K-pop group.

Later, fans and netizens shared messages like “Haneul, go and become a beautiful star,” hoping that IVE’s gesture would send warmth to Haneul.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Kim Haneul and her teacher, Mr. B, were found at an elementary school in Daejeon on the afternoon of February 10th.

Haneul was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away. Police investigations revealed that Mr. B had made a shocking statement: "I was going to kill anyone and die together." It was later confirmed that Mr. B had no connection to Haneul.

The police have stated they will continue to investigate Mr. B’s motives and the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident once his health improves.

Source: [1]