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NewJeans vs ADOR: First court hearing for contract dispute set for March; know both sides' claims
The NewJeans members are to meet ADOR in court for the legal battle regarding their unilateral contract termination and their advertisement deals signing prohibition injunction.
NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein have been in a legal and public dispute with their label ADOR (a subsidiary of HYBE) since April last year. As per the latest K-media reports regarding the issue, their dispute over the contract is set for its first legal hearing next month. Both parties have stayed firm on their demands and will meet face-to-face in court soon.
Korean media outlet Daily Sports reported on February 6 that ADOR's injunction to prohibit NewJeans' advertisement contracts will be discussed in court for the first time on March 7. ADOR filed the injunction against the fourth-gen girl group members in January to prevent their "independently signing advertising contracts and conducting advertising activities without ADOR's approval or consent."
The case's hearing at the 50th civil division of the Seoul Central District Court will be ADOR and NewJeans' first court meeting following the declaration of termination of their exclusive contract with the label in November of last year. Not just regarding advertisement deals, ADOR also expressed infuriation over the quintet trying to do away with their group's name and asking fans to suggest new ones. The management agency called the move a "severe breach of contract."
Following the injunction appeal, the dispute regarding the validity of the exclusive contracts between the NewJeans member and ADOR will also be taken up by the court. The date for its first hearing has been decided as April 3. The lawsuit was filed by ADOR in December last year after NewJeans unilaterally terminated their contract with ADOR, citing mistreatment, failure to protect artists and other violations of contractual terms.
As per ADOR, if idols can simply cancel their contracts and go solo without addressing the legal aspects, it will shake "the foundation of the K-pop industry, causing it to greatly shrink." ADOR is trying to bring NewJeans back to being artists under the label by legally preventing them from leaving. The NewJeans members held a press conference on November 28 last year to announce the contract termination and are currently working independently. They started their venture with the creation of a new Instagram account in December 2024, @jeanzforfree.
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