NewJeans' Haerin First to Make Official Appearance After ADOR Return

K-pop group NewJeans member Haerin is set to make her first official public appearance since returning to ADOR, becoming the first of the group's returning members to do so.

Haerin will attend a photocall for a luxury beauty brand's pop-up event on Sept. 7 at Lotte Department Store's Jamsil Avenuel in Seoul's Songpa District. Figure skater Yuna Kim, actors Nam Joo-hyuk, Shin Ye-eun and Kim Jae-won, Red Velvet's Joy, models Irene and Bae Yoon-young, and makeup creative and image director Peter Philips are also scheduled to attend.

The event will mark Haerin's first official in-person appearance since she announced her return to ADOR about 10 months ago. It follows her recent appearance on the cover of fashion magazine Marie Claire's September issue and marks her return to in-person promotional activities.

The NewJeans members held an emergency press conference on Nov. 29, 2024, announcing that they were terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR. The agency filed a lawsuit seeking to confirm that the contracts remained valid, and a trial court ruled in ADOR's favor last October.

Haerin and Hyein expressed their intention to return to ADOR on Nov. 12 last year, followed by Hanni in December. Minji remains in discussions with the agency over the terms of her possible return.

ADOR notified Danielle in December that it had terminated her exclusive contract. The agency argued that she bore significant responsibility for the contract dispute and the delays in the other members' return. It subsequently filed a lawsuit against Danielle, one of her family members and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, seeking 33.1 billion won in contractual penalties and damages.

A special film featuring Haerin, Hyein, Hanni and Minji was released in July to mark the fourth anniversary of NewJeans' debut. Haerin, Hyein and Hanni have also recently been spotted overseas, prompting speculation that new content or music may be in the works, though no specific plans have been announced.

As Haerin becomes the first returning member to attend an in-person public event, attention is now turning to what comes next for NewJeans.