Fans are in shock as NewJeans, now rebranded as NJZ, faces a huge issue with one of its members, Hanni.

The Australian-Vietnamese idol has refused to sign the necessary visa extension documents with ADOR, causing major complications for the girl group’s future activities.

At the end of November last year, NewJeans made headlines when they announced they were ending their exclusive contract with ADOR and changed their name to NJZ.

This bold move shocked fans, especially since their first official event as NJZ will be in Hong Kong this March, where they’ll also drop new music. However, it’s clear now that things are far from simple.

Hanni, who holds dual citizenship in both Australia and Vietnam, is facing serious legal hurdles. Her "E-6 Visa"—required for foreign nationals working in the South Korean entertainment industry—expired earlier this month, which means she can no longer participate in entertainment activities in South Korea.

What’s worse, due to her ongoing lawsuit with ADOR over the termination of her contract, she can't just sign with a new agency to extend her visa.

According to sources, ADOR was ready with all the required paperwork to extend Hanni’s visa but ran into a wall when she refused to sign it. As a result, Hanni is now in a legal gray area and may even be considered an illegal resident in South Korea.

On February 11th, ADOR responded, saying, "We cannot confirm anything regarding Hanni’s visa situation" but didn’t provide further details.

Since the "E-6 Visa" is only granted to those signed to a domestic agency, Hanni’s refusal to cooperate with ADOR leaves her in a tough spot. Right now, she hasn’t signed with a new agency, so her future in South Korea remains uncertain.

There are speculations that Hanni could try to use the ongoing lawsuit to stay in the country, as foreign nationals with expired visas are sometimes allowed to remain if they’re involved in legal battles. However, even if she does manage to stay, she won’t be able to participate in any entertainment activities.

As a result of Hanni’s visa situation, full-group activities with all five members of NJZ are looking impossible for now. Fans and industry insiders are eagerly watching to see how NJZ, led by Min Hee Jin, will handle these major challenges in the coming months.

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Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.

On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.

Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.

During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.

In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.

Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.

The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.

Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.

On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.

After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"

Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.

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