The Korean charts and album sellers have ruled that as long as New Jeans, which now calls itself NJZ, does not return to Ador they won't count NJZ's digitals and album sales.
However NJZ seems to be undaunted and does not seem to fear such threats.
Its upcoming career will show whether a Korea free model, not dependent upon Hanteo/Circle chart and Melon, will be viable.
Like a huge iron ball chained at their foot, Melon and Circle Chart led KPop acts, who are not going to make too much from Korea, to mandate Korean activities here and there.
Which led to a lot of skewing. For 2020-2022, BTS, which had conquered the world, was held in the same regard as The Singer who Never Charted in Billboard Hot 100 (TSWNCIBH1, pronounced Tsu-woon-Sib-aychee-one) simply because TSWNCIBH1 had a chokehold in Korean digitals.
Even NJZ, in its previous incarnation, had to go to see TSWNCIBH1, something which would never have occurred in another country since their singers would not have to worry about whatever the domestic chart say , since TSWNCIBH1's record in Spotify is not that impressive.
IF NJZ enters the top 10 in Billboard Hot 100 without promoting in Korea, that is it for Korean local scene, and also probably the end of TSWNCIBH1 who prided herself to be in the equals of BTS, BlackPink and New Jeans, at least in Korea, solely because she was doing well in the local digital chart.
NJZ's Korea free model will be very important for KPop's future, since if NJZ makes it that ends Korean promotions of various acts once for all, leaving Korea for TSWNCIBH1 and her friends who can play in a league of their own.
WithIIU