Multiple members of K-pop group NewJeans have been spotted in Copenhagen with staff, prompting speculation about a possible comeback.

Eyewitness accounts and images circulating on social media over the weekend appeared to show members Haerin and Hyein in the Danish capital, with one fan claiming on the Chinese social media website Weibo that they had seen the pair walking with staff and carrying what looked like filming equipment.

“We happened to meet Hyein and Haerin in Copenhagen. I told Hyein that she’s really beautiful, and Hyein kept smiling while saying thank you,” one fan wrote.

Photos shared on social media appear to show the members browsing inside a store and walking through the city with other people, who are believed to be staff from their label, Ador. Other sightings suggest that Hanni too was present with staff, further intensifying speculation that the group could be preparing new material.

Ador confirmed that the members were indeed in the city, but provided no more information. “It is true that NewJeans members visited Copenhagen, Denmark, with staff,” the label told The Korea Herald. “We ask for your understanding that it is difficult to confirm specific schedules or whether filming is taking place at this time.”

The Independent has reached out to Ador for comment.

However, the prospect of a full-group comeback remains uncertain, given the unresolved status of the five-member act following a prolonged legal battle with Ador and its parent company, Hybe.

NewJeans debuted in 2022 and quickly became one of K-pop’s most commercially successful and culturally influential acts, known for a pared-back sound that blends pop, R&B, and early-2000s influences. The group’s music and visuals stood out for their minimalist production, understated vocals and naturalistic styling, departing from the high-concept aesthetics typical of the genre, while their choreography emphasised fluid, groove-led movements over sharply synchronised routines.

The dispute began in late 2024, when all five members – Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein – notified Ador of their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts, alleging that the agency had “neither the ability nor the will to protect” NewJeans.

Ador denied the band’s allegations of mistreatment and bullying, maintained that they had “not violated the terms of the agreement”, and filed a suit to confirm the contracts’ validity.

The conflict was closely tied to a broader corporate dispute involving former Ador chief executive Min Hee Jin, whose removal from the label became a flashpoint between Hybe and the group.

In October 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favour of Ador, finding that the contracts remained valid and that there were insufficient grounds for unilateral termination. The court’s decision effectively barred the members from pursuing independent activities and compelled a renegotiation of their relationship with the agency.

In the months that followed, the group’s status began to fragment. Haerin and Hyein were the first to return, followed by Hanni after further discussions. Minji’s position remains unresolved, with the agency’s last statement stating that talks are ongoing.

Danielle, however, is no longer part of the group. Ador terminated her contract and filed a damages lawsuit against her, a family member, and Min, seeking approximately 43.1bn won (£22m) for “causing this dispute, NewJeans’ departure, and significant delays in their return”. The case is ongoing in the Seoul Central District Court.

The group’s fractured status has left its future uncertain. In early 2025, the five members attempted to rebrand as NJZ amid their dispute with Ador and performed at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, where they debuted a new song titled “Pit Stop”. The performance, staged despite a court injunction barring independent activities, was followed by an announcement that they would pause all group activities “out of respect” for the ruling.