On July 21, 2026, a short video called "2026 Summer of NewJeans: HAERIN" appeared on YouTube. It was timed to the group's fourth anniversary on July 22 and quickly got fans talking about whether NewJeans was about to release new music — something K-pop fans call a "comeback" (Korea Herald).

Five videos were posted under the "2026 Summer of NewJeans" name: one featuring the group together and four solo videos for members Minji, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein. A fifth member, Danielle Marsh, was not in any of them (Rolling Stone Philippines). This is the group's first teaser release since 2024.

Ador, the company that manages NewJeans, said that nothing has been decided about a comeback as of July 22, 2026 (Korea Herald). That is a surprising mismatch. The videos look polished, official, and coordinated — the kind of thing you release when new music is on the way — but the company behind the group is publicly saying the opposite.

The teasers arrive in the middle of a legal fight between Ador and Min Hee-jin, the group's former CEO. In a court hearing, Ador submitted evidence claiming that Min helped organize an effort by NewJeans to leave the agency. A Seoul court had already approved Ador's request in February 2026 to freeze assets — meaning legally prevent the sale or use of property — belonging to Danielle's mother and to Min Hee-jin (Korea Herald). Rolling Stone Philippines titled its report "NewJeans Finally Comes Back Minus Danielle Marsh," focusing directly on her absence.

The broader context here is a power struggle over who controls NewJeans. The group has not lost all momentum: their song "Right Now" passed 100 million streams on July 13, 2026 (Korea Herald). But the question of who gets to decide the group's creative direction — the members, Ador, or outside creative teams — is still unresolved. By releasing teasers with only four members, the campaign presents NewJeans as a four-person group, regardless of what the agency officially says.

What is still unclear is whether these teasers lead to a real comeback with new music, or whether they are anniversary content meant to keep the group visible during a long dispute. Ador's statement that nothing is decided leaves the videos in a strange spot: the creative work is done and public, but the next steps that normally follow — a song release, a promotional schedule — have not been confirmed. In K-pop, where every step of a comeback is planned months in advance, that kind of silence is itself telling.