The Korean sentiment is such that the three who are still offering counterterms, such as the return of MHJ, should be rejected and New Jeans should go as only 2 members or add some more members like what Kara did after 2 members left, namely adding a trainee.
I am not taking the latter option seriously. The member most likely to be added is Harada Rin, aka Harin, who was cut because of MHJ. However, given what was done to han Choown, there is a precedence.
Adding Harin to NJ will make Kim Chaewon very upset since she is probably the member who gained the most by above and that will remind that fact. It will also make the situation of Moka in Illit quite awkward since Harin is older than Moka and will try to lord over the latter.
So I do not think they will add Harin, or anyone else.
A more important issue arises if the 3 Jeans are rejected and NJ only operates with 2 members, which is
WHY BTS DID NOT FORM A UNIT AND PERFORM WHEN THE OLDER MEMBERS WERE SERVING?
To the best of my knowledge no Hybe act has ever formed units. (Seventeen is a Pledis unit and the former owner of Pledis, who still runs that label, was guaranteed an independence to run his acts as he saw fit)
The younger three members , Taehyung (1995), Jimin (1995) and Jungkook (1997) could have dragged their military service to 2026 and given the current atmosphere, it is likely that their exemption would have been granted now.
Plus, with them operational, the whole New Jeans mess would never have occurred since MHJ did fear BTS and did not act till all of them enlisted.
The younger members enlisted in vain, and Taehyung does not hide his anger anymore. he will bolt when the current contract ends.
Jungkook is getting upset as well, since Bang continues to favor only the older four even though they were less popular.
A V-J-J unit would have done as well as BTS itself concert wise and would have prevented taylor Swift from becoming the Person of the Year in 2023, preventing her domination of the world.
By allowing a Haerin-Hyein unit , Hybe is doing a favor to New Jeans again. A privilege not allowed to BTS given to prodigal daughters New Jeans.
Allowing Haerin-Hyein to promote by themselves shows Hybe is treating them more equally than VJJ.
IU's visual at the age of 32 (1,352), in her latest fansign, shows that she has clearly aged over the years, and does not have the youthful image anymore, even though she is worth $100 mil and would probably getting the best care she can get.
Bts won't be too different - it is unlikely that they will look ever young again, and will not be able to get younger fans, a fact acknowledged by Hybe itself which is now pushing Cortis.
VJJ sacrificed because Bang did NOT allow a unit, and now Haerin and Hyein, prodigal daughters, getting their own unit?
So, I think it is either 5 or nothing, even though the 3 Jeans might be seen obnoxious , since allowing the two to operate by themselves would offend VJJ.
