NewJeans Loses Case Against ADOR: Court Holds Contract Valid In Final Verdict; Asserts ‘Min Hee-Jin Waged Publ
Court has ruled in favour of ADOR against NewJeans
In a major win for ADOR, the court apparently ruled in favour of the label, a subsidiary of HYBE, against NewJeans (NJZ). On October 30, the court gave out its final verdict in the prolonged case after almost a year, upholding the validity of the exclusive contract with the five-member girls band. Comprising Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, the K-pop group has been embroiled in a major lawsuit with its label ADOR since November 2024, to determine if trust collapse justifies contract termination, in the landmark case.
Details about verdict
Early on Thursday, the 41st Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided by judge Jeong Hoe-Il announced the ruling on ADOR’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of its exclusive contracts with all five NewJeans members. According to Korea Herald, it stated, “It is confirmed that the exclusive contract concluded between ADOR and New Jeans is valid.”
“It is difficult to see that ADOR violated the exclusive contract simply by dismissing former CEO Min Hee-jin,. The court added, “Min Hee-jin waged a public opinion war not for the purpose of protecting New Jeans, but for the purpose of New Jeans’ independence.”
About ‘breach’ of exclusive contract
The legal dispute between the two sides began last year when NewJeans held an emergency press conference and accused ADOR of breaching their contract. The group announced terminating the exclusive contract with the company to pursue independent activities under a new band name, NJZ.
In December 2024, ADOR filed a lawsuit in response and asserted that the exclusive contract remains legally binding. The label also filed for an injunction to prevent the group members from engaging in any solo activities or commercial deals without its approval.
ADOR granted injunction
In March, ADOR was granted an injunction as the court ruled that until the final verdict, the agency will continue to remain NewJeans’ management company while halting the band’s independent activities. As part of its ruling, the court also sides with ADOR’s request for indirect compulsory enforcement. It stated that if a member engaged in any kind of unauthorised activity, they would need to pay a penalty of 1 billion KRW (approximately $730,000 USD) per incident of violation. NewJeans was forced to suspend all activities despite appeals, petitions and objections in its favour.
More on contract termination
Even several attempts at mediation failed in the following months with NewJeans continuing to claim that its relationship with ADOR had been damaged and was not irreparable, and hence the continuation of the contract was out of question. ADOR called all the claim invalid reasons for contract termination.
Meanwhile, ADOR’s former CEO Mon Hee-Jin recently established a new entertainment management agency with reports that she would get NewJeans under its periphery if they win the case.
