NewJeans’ 4th Anniversary Sparks Minji Return Speculation

Girl group NewJeans recently celebrated their 4th debut anniversary on July 22 with the release of a special film. The video’s surprise inclusion of Minji, whose return has been a subject of intense, ongoing discussion, has immediately intensified calls for ADOR to provide clear answers regarding the group’s future direction and lineup.

The Anniversary Content and Lingering Uncertainty

To commemorate their fourth debut anniversary on July 22, NewJeans unveiled a special film and a group photo featuring Hanni, Haerin, Hyein, and Minji via the team’s official social media channels as part of their “NewJeans Day” celebrations. This highly anticipated content marks the first time all four members have appeared together in approximately two years, following the release of their Japanese debut single “Supernatural” in the summer of 2024. The appearance of Minji in this latest content is particularly noteworthy. While ADOR officially announced the return of Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein to the agency at the end of last year, Minji’s return was previously described as being at a tentative stage. Despite Minji herself stating her intention to return to ADOR late last year in accordance with a court’s ruling, ADOR has consistently maintained that internal discussions are still ongoing and has yet to issue an official position. When questioned about Minji’s return following the video release, ADOR continued to state that “nothing was confirmed” despite her visible presence.

This video is commemorative content produced for NewJeans’ 4th debut anniversary so fans can celebrate together. We plan to announce NewJeans’ specific future activities and how they will proceed after discussions with the members have been fully concluded.

ADOR

However, Minji’s continued appearance in such significant group content without a clear, official announcement regarding her return has only amplified fan questions and concerns.

Ambiguity Fuels Fan Confusion

The agency’s current approach—maintaining a cautious stance and featuring the member in new releases, yet simultaneously postponing a definitive statement—is creating growing confusion. Whether this strategy hints at the final stages of her return, indicates difficulties in ongoing negotiations, or is a calculated move to generate future buzz, remains entirely unclear. This ambiguous communication is undeniably adding to the bewilderment of fans who eagerly await clarity. Releasing new content while an unresolved contractual tug-of-war continues appears notably inconsistent with the highly legalistic and transparent approach HYBE and ADOR have emphasized over the past several years. This latest statement, contradicting the general belief that Minji’s return was a “done deal,” has left many fans surprised and seeking answers about the complete NewJeans lineup.