Nearly one year after NewJeans announced their departure from the HYBE subsidiary label ADOR during a press conference, the Seoul Central District Court has ruled that the girl group must fulfill their contractual obligations through 2029. In their long-running legal battle, the group argued that the departure of ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin violated their contract and was grounds for dismissal. The court disagreed.
According to the Korea Herald, the court ruled, “The fact that Min was removed from her position as CEO does not in itself mean that a managerial vacuum was created or that Ador became incapable of fulfilling its contractual obligations. The members’ personal trust in Min alone does not establish that guaranteeing her CEO position was a fundamental obligation under the exclusive contract.”
In November 2024, Min resigned from her position as an internal director at ADOR. At the time, she stated that she would “be taking necessary legal action one by one against the numerous illegal activities committed by HYBE and its affiliates.” The Seoul Central District Court ruling stated that Min was offered the opportunity to revise her contract and continue working with NewJeans, but she declined.
“It cannot be viewed that Min Hee-jin’s actions were for the purpose of safeguarding the group,” the court determined. NewJeans’ claims that Hanni was allegedly bullied by an official at HYBE, and that their leaked trainee videos constituted a breach of contract, providing grounds for contractual termination, were also dismissed.
“We sincerely hope today’s result will serve as an opportunity for the artists to calmly reflect on the matter,” HYBE said in a statement, per the Korea Herald. “We also take this time to reaffirm our responsibilities as a management agency. As stated during the main trial, we have completed preparations for a full-length album and future activities. We will do our best, in consultation with the artists, to bring them back to their fans.”
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In the meantime, NewJeans — which attempted to relaunch earlier this year under the new name NJZ — plans to appeal the court’s decision. “The members respect the court’s judgment. But given that the relationship of trust with Ador has been completely destroyed, it is impossible for them to return and continue normal entertainment activities under the company,” NewJeans’ legal representatives at the Sejong Law Firm said.
“The members plan to immediately file an appeal, hoping that the appellate court will once again thoroughly review the facts and legal grounds surrounding the contract termination and reach a fair conclusion.”