NewJeans Controversy: Antarctica & KGMA

NewJeans faces new controversy over Antarctica rumors.
Their KGMA win sparks debate due to no music release.
Public reaction intensifies across online communities.

After months of being dragged through an intense legal conflict between NewJeans and their agency, ADOR, the public is once again stirred by two major issues that have pushed the group back into the spotlight. The first is a rumor surrounding one of the members allegedly being in Antarctica during the negotiation process with the agency, which later pointed to Hanni. The second is their win in the “Trend of the Year” category at the Korean Global Music Awards (KGMA), which sparked questions and criticism since they did not release any new music during the year.

These two issues have become new focal points in the unresolved conflict between NewJeans and ADOR. Although the members have announced their decision to return to the agency, various reactions, rumors, online discourse, and debates over the legitimacy of their award have shown that tensions among fans, social media communities, and the general public are still escalating and evolving.

Conflict, Court Ruling, Negotiation, and the “Antarctica” Speculation

The dispute between NewJeans and ADOR began in late 2024. When their former CEO and mentor, Min Hee jin, was removed from her position, the members expressed that they had lost trust in the company. They accused the agency of misconduct and were even suspected of planning to change the group name to NJZ to avoid their exclusive contract. ADOR responded by filing a lawsuit to validate the existing contract and requesting a court injunction to prevent the members from continuing individual activities.

In March 2025, the court granted the request, and in the October 30 hearing, it affirmed that the contract would remain valid until 2029 and that the removal of the CEO did not result in a “management vacancy.” This ruling meant that any violation could lead to a penalty of approximately 1 billion won per breach.

Following the decision, ADOR scheduled a meeting with all five members and their legal guardians on November 11, 2025, to discuss the conditions for their return. Only one member did not attend because she was abroad. According to a Star News report quoted by Korea Times, Hanni (also spelled Hani in some translations) had already informed the agency that she was overseas and unable to attend. The meeting discussed requirements and requests from both sides, while Hanni promised to meet ADOR privately once she returned.

A day after the meeting, ADOR announced that two members, Haerin and Hyein, had decided to comply with the court ruling and continue their exclusive contracts. Hours later, an official statement from the other three members, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle, was released through the Hanil Law Firm. They stated that they had discussed the matter deeply with their families and decided to return to ADOR. In the statement, they explained that the delay in the announcement occurred because one member was still “in Antarctica,” while ADOR had not responded to their request. This became the first public mention of a member being in Antarctica and instantly fueled widespread speculation.

The mention of “Antarctica” triggered a wave of theories in online communities. Some fans speculated that Danielle was participating in the “Antarctic Ice Marathon,” while others claimed that Hanni had been spotted in Ushuaia, Argentina. After it was confirmed that Hanni was indeed overseas at the time of the meeting, ADOR planned a separate meeting with her once she returned to Korea.

“Does she have a visa to enter the country? Isn’t it sponsored through Ador? Lol if they don’t take her back what happens?”

Several legal observers viewed the three members’ decision to make their announcement through a law firm as an attempt to avoid penalty fees after losing the court case. Some users on social media even referred to them as “Trojan horses,” claiming they were prioritizing personal protection, and if negotiations failed, ADOR could potentially terminate their contracts and demand large compensation fees. Despite this, their collective decision to return suggested that NewJeans chose to comply with the contract and hoped to continue their music career under the agency.

On social media, some Haerin fans began distancing themselves from Min Hee jin, creating friction within the fandom. One post even stated that NewJeans fans no longer considered Haerin supporters part of the fandom and were pushing them out of the community.

“Fan lines shifting this fast shows how fragile these circles can be, loyalty turning into noise instead of support.”

Additional reactions from Korean forums appeared, reflecting confusion and division among fan communities:

“I checked another gallery for a moment and it is seriously chaotic”

“Why are there people in the Haepil (Haerin gallery) praising that person?”

“Why are praise posts about Min posted here?”

“This is kind of cute though”

“I came here after seeing Haerin”

“Because Min is causing trouble again”

“The content sounds like some kind of cult prayer”

KGMA “Trend of the Year” Controversy and Qualification Debate

NewJeans’ win in the “Trend of the Year” category at the Korean Global Music Awards (KGMA) became one of the biggest triggers of public debate because the group did not release new music throughout the year, raising questions about criteria, nomination standards, and award legitimacy. Reactions from Korean forums to international social platforms showed a divide between those who judged achievements based on creative output and those who believed fan voting itself was legitimate. This situation highlighted the growing tension between artistry based recognition and popularity based award systems in the modern era of fan driven metrics.

“What did they even do this year? All they did was grab other idols by the hair and drag them into a national audit.”

“What did they do this year?”

“Truly bizarre.”

“This place just hands awards to HYBE. They’re basically sucking up to get them to attend.”

“What did they do…?”

“They didn’t even promote this year.”

“The point was that they shouldn’t have been nominated to begin with. They’re unqualified for this year to be considered.”

“It was fan voted and Tokkis actually worked hard for it so they deserved it. There is no need to be salty.”

“Do you understand what an unqualified nomination means?”

“It was 100% fan voted so…”

“The word ‘trend of the year’ even though the fans voted it, it’s still not giving.”

“Another whole group copied their style and concept and became famous.”

“Haerin was always my fav, hope she still gets to love her dream.”

“Getting toxic now tsk tsk.”

“Go solo Haerin!!!”

“Well Haerin is smarter than all of her members.”

The return of NewJeans to ADOR does not conclude the entire issue, especially with pending negotiations involving Hanni and the uncertainty surrounding future promotions and activities. The two recent controversies, member whereabouts during critical negotiations and the KGMA victory, show that public opinion is not solely tied to music releases but also influenced by perception, communication, timing, and emotional reactions within fandoms. Transparency and clearer communication will likely become key elements in restoring trust and preventing further escalation.

Source: Pitchfork, Forbes, Korea Times, TheQoo, Star News