The legal battle between NewJeans and their agency, ADOR, is set to intensify as their contract dispute heads to court. The members of NewJeans, Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, have been locked in a public disagreement with ADOR (a subsidiary of HYBE) since April of last year. Now, they are preparing to face each other in court.
Court Dates Set for Injunction and Contract Dispute
Korean media outlet Daily Sports reported on February 6 that the first court hearing regarding ADOR’s injunction to prevent NewJeans from signing independent advertising contracts is scheduled for March 7. ADOR filed this injunction in January, aiming to stop the group from “independently signing advertising contracts and conducting advertising activities without ADOR’s approval or consent.” This hearing at the Seoul Central District Court marks the first legal confrontation between the two parties since NewJeans declared their contract termination in November.
Beyond the advertising issue, ADOR has also expressed strong disapproval of the group’s attempts to distance themselves from the NewJeans name and solicit fan suggestions for a new one. The agency has labeled these actions as a “severe breach of contract.”
The dispute over the validity of the exclusive contracts themselves will also be addressed in court. The first hearing for this matter is set for April 3. ADOR filed this lawsuit in December after NewJeans unilaterally terminated their contract, citing mistreatment, failure to protect artists, and other violations of contractual terms.
ADOR’s Stance and NewJeans’ Independent Activities
ADOR argues that allowing idols to simply terminate contracts without legal repercussions would destabilize the K-pop industry. They are fighting to keep NewJeans under their management. Conversely, NewJeans held a press conference on November 28 to announce their contract termination and have been operating independently since then. They even launched a new Instagram account, @jeanzforfree, in December 2024.
Saikat Nandy is an entertainment news writer who covers the latest trends and stories from the world of showbiz, has a keen eye for spotting the most interesting and relevant topics, and delivers them to his audience with flair and humor. He is also a freelance blogger, content writer, and website designer who loves to explore new technologies and creative ideas.
