NewJeans member Haerin. [Herald Muse]
NewJeans member Haerin. [Herald Muse]

NewJeans member Haerin made her first official public appearance since returning to her agency, Ador.

Haerin attended a photo call Monday for the opening of a beauty brand's pop-up store at Lotte Department Store's Avenuel in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul — her first public engagement in 18 months.

She has served as an ambassador for the brand since her debut. Also present at the event were Kim Yeon-a, Nam Joo-hyuk, Red Velvet's Joy, Shin Ye-eun, Kim Jae-won, model Irene and Bae Yoon-young.

When fans called her name and cheered at the venue, Haerin flashed a shy smile before posing for photographers. A video posted by a fan captured the moment she recognized a fan in the crowd and said, "Thank you."

In the months leading up to the appearance, Haerin had kept a limited schedule, taking part only in photo shoots and agency content without attending any public events.

NewJeans declared the termination of their exclusive contracts with Ador in November 2024 and pursued independent activities, triggering a legal dispute. After losing a first-instance ruling last year in a lawsuit seeking confirmation that their contracts remained valid, the members began returning to the agency one by one. Haerin, Hyein and Hanni have since rejoined Ador, while Danielle was excluded from the group. Minji continues to negotiate with the agency over the terms of her return.

On the group's fourth debut anniversary in July, NewJeans released a video featuring four members, including Minji.


dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com