Court rules NewJeans must stay with Ador, upholding exclusive contract

‘Ador’s dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin not a breach of contract,’ court rules

NewJeans (Ador)

The Seoul Central District Court ruled Thursday that Ador’s dismissal of its former CEO Min Hee-jin does not constitute a violation of its exclusive contract with the girl group NewJeans.

“It is difficult to conclude that Ador breached the exclusive contract solely on the grounds of Min Hee-jin’s dismissal,” the court said.

The court also rejected Min’s claim that her public campaign against Ador was intended to protect NewJeans.

“It cannot be viewed that Min Hee-jin’s actions were for the purpose of safeguarding the group,” the court stated, adding that her efforts were not directly linked to the members’ independence.

The dispute began in November 2024, when NewJeans abruptly held a press conference announcing the termination of their exclusive contract with Ador. The label responded in December by filing a lawsuit seeking confirmation of contract validity. Ador also requested injunctions to prevent the members from pursuing independent activities or entering advertisement contracts without the agency’s consent until the main lawsuit had concluded.

In February, the group announced plans to continue their activities under a new team name, NJZ, but the court accepted Ador’s injunction request, effectively halting the rebranded group’s operations.

Subsequent appeals and objections filed by the members were all dismissed.

The court also approved Ador’s request for indirect compulsory execution, ruling that each NewJeans member must pay 1 billion won ($702,000) to Ador per violation if they engage in entertainment activities without the company’s prior approval.

With their activities suspended under court order, NewJeans have since remained inactive.

jaaykim@heraldcorp.com