The clock for NewJeans has started ticking again. The group NewJeans has signaled a restart of their activities by releasing new content featuring four members: MINJI, HANNI, HAERIN, and HYEIN.
On July 22, in celebration of their 4th anniversary, NewJeans released a special film titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans" and new group photos on their official YouTube channel and social media. This marks the first time in approximately 1 year and 4 months since their hiatus in March of last year that NewJeans has presented official group content. The appearance of MINJI, who has reportedly been discussing future activity directions with ADOR, drew significant attention.
The video begins with a scene of MINJI appearing alone on a dark summer night. She is followed by HYEIN, HANNI, and HAERIN, and the four members hold hands while looking in the same direction. Given the long period of uncertainty surrounding each member's status, the scene of the four gathered together carries a symbolic message in itself.
Interest in the comeback is heightened by the fact that this content connects the team's core imagery—rabbits, everyday life, and the summer season—in a new way, rather than completely changing the existing vibe of NewJeans.
Rabbit imagery, which has symbolized NewJeans, appears repeatedly in the individual member videos. MINJI folds a flyer she found at a gas station into a rabbit shape, and a rabbit drawing appears on the screen while HANNI is working on music. HAERIN goes out wearing a handmade rabbit bag, and HYEIN orders a rabbit-shaped ice cream at an ice cream shop called "The Bunnies Scoop." By featuring rabbits, which remind fans of the fandom "Bunnies," and ice cream, which symbolizes summer, the group continues its signature refreshing and natural image.
In the latter part of the video, the four members are seen gathered together at night, holding hands and gazing at something. While no specific conversations or future plans were revealed, the fact that the team has started moving again has sparked expectations that this may be a hint of a full-scale comeback.
However, ADOR explained that this video is commemorative content produced for fans to mark the 4th anniversary, stating, "We plan to announce specific activity plans and methods after discussions are fully concluded."
According to the video credits, the creative director who spearheaded the new visuals was Kim Na-yeon. It is known that she remained at ADOR following the resignation of former CEO Min Hee-jin and has been overseeing visuals as a creative director under the new management system.
Previously, overseas schedules of the NewJeans members were spotted one after another. In April, it was confirmed that HAERIN, HYEIN, and HANNI visited Copenhagen, Denmark, with ADOR staff, and later, footage of HAERIN and HYEIN appearing to be filming in the United States was released online, leading to speculation that new content or music production is underway.
NewJeans notified ADOR of the termination of their exclusive contract in November 2024 and attempted independent activities, but their activities were halted after the court ruled in favor of the agency in the injunction and the lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract filed by ADOR. Subsequently, HAERIN, HYEIN, and HANNI confirmed their return to ADOR sequentially, and DANIELLE was notified by ADOR of the termination of her exclusive contract.
