NewJeans and their label ADOR are officially in a legal showdown—and the tension is heating up.
💥 First Court Hearing: Where It All Stands
On April 3, the Seoul Central District Court held the first hearing in ADOR's lawsuit to confirm the validity of its exclusive contract with NewJeans. The members did not attend in person.
At the heart of the dispute? Three key issues:
- The change in producer
- Whether trust between the label and artists has irreparably broken down
- Whether contract termination is justified
The main conflict revolves around the resignation of Min Hee-jin, former CEO and creative lead behind NewJeans' massive success.
🎙️ "We Can't Do This Without Min Hee-jin" vs. "You Did Fine in Hong Kong"
ADOR acknowledged Min Hee-jin's role in shaping NewJeans but argued,
"We're part of HYBE, the No.1 label in Korea. We can assign new producers."
NewJeans pushed back, stating there was no transition plan in place before attempting to replace her, undermining trust.
ADOR responded,
"Min left on her own. And while artist opinions matter, NewJeans refused to communicate at all."
NewJeans argued that ADOR is no longer the company they signed with—citing leadership changes and conflicting values—as a reason for terminating their contract.
ADOR countered with receipts:
"NewJeans performed successfully at ComplexCon Hong Kong last month without Min. So the claim that they can only work with her doesn't hold up."
🤔 Is Trust Really Broken?
The court noted that the usual "loss of trust" argument is stronger when artists haven't received proper pay or exposure. But NewJeans is already a top-tier global group, making this a new kind of trust issue.
The judge said,
"If trust is considered broken just because Min is gone, that's different from typical legal definitions. We'll need more discussion."
📜 Was Contract Termination Justified?
NewJeans' side claimed they issued 8 formal requests to ADOR back in November 2024 and received no action, citing Clause 15-1 of their contract as grounds for termination.
ADOR fired back,
"Those are one-sided claims. There's a lack of procedural and factual evidence. Some issues weren't even part of the formal correction period."
🧩 Can They Reconcile?
ADOR expressed a willingness to settle, but NewJeans declined, citing the emotional toll on the members.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 5 at 11:10 AM (KST). ADOR must submit a clear plan for future production support, while NewJeans will need more evidence backing their termination claims.
🚫 Court-Ordered Pause on NewJeans' Activities
Previously on March 21, the court granted ADOR's injunction to maintain its status as NewJeans' management agency and ban new ad contracts. As a result, all group activities were suspended after their ComplexCon Hong Kong performance on March 23.
