As the lights dimmed behind the stage at Inspire Arena, a brief smile crossed Bang Si Hyuk’s face. Under the soft clicks of camera shutters, the youthful energy of LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, and KATSEYE came together in a single frame. In that moment, a fleeting sense of sisterhood seemed to bloom among the girls, each chasing their own dreams. Yet in the corner of that unity, the absence of NewJeans hung like a shadow — a quiet reminder of a fractured family.

On April 22nd KST, HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk posted a group photo to his Instagram with the caption “United!” The image featured members of LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, and KATSEYE — three flagship girl groups under the HYBE umbrella — taken backstage at LE SSERAFIM’s recent world tour concert held at Inspire Arena in Incheon. He added hashtags for each group, along with #ONETEAM, highlighting a sense of unity across HYBE’s growing roster of female acts.

But NewJeans was nowhere to be seen.

Since November of last year, the NewJeans members have been embroiled in a legal conflict with their label ADOR, after attempting to unilaterally terminate their contracts and pursue independent activities under the name NJZ. This move sparked a dispute over trademark rights and the legitimacy of their continued use of the name “NewJeans.”

The legal battle reached a turning point on March 21st, when the court sided with ADOR on a preliminary injunction, recognizing ADOR’s continued status as the group’s management agency. The ruling barred the members from engaging in entertainment activities without ADOR’s prior consent — including songwriting, performances, television appearances, and commercial deals.

Though NewJeans filed an appeal, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed their objection on April 16th, reaffirming ADOR’s legal rights over the group’s activities.

While Bang Si Hyuk’s post aimed to spotlight HYBE’s united girl group front, the glaring omission of NewJeans added a layer of quiet tension — a moment of celebration that, for many fans, felt noticeably incomplete.

SEE ALSO: Lee Hongki stuns with bathtub-in-bedroom home on 'My Little Old Boy'