“’To go back to ADOR’ is like telling a victim of school violence to return to where the bully is,” NewJeans members said in a petition letter during the third hearing.
The legal dispute between ADOR and NewJeans continues to intensify. On July 24, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court held the third oral hearing regarding ADOR’s lawsuit against NewJeans over the validity of their exclusive contract.
The case has attracted significant attention from fans, the media, and the K-pop industry at large. Below are the major takeaways from the latest court proceedings:
Mediation Date Set for August 14
The Seoul Central District Court scheduled a mediation session for August 14 in an attempt to resolve the contract dispute outside of trial. If both parties fail to reach an agreement, a final ruling is expected on October 30.
The court emphasized the importance of mediation and requested that a representative number of NewJeans members be present at the session, which will be held privately.
ADOR Argues There Is No Ground for Contract Termination
ADOR’s legal team strongly asserted that the contract with NewJeans remains valid and emphasized that there were no legal or contractual grounds for termination. They claimed the agency provided approximately 7 billion won ($5 million) and provided full support since pre-debut.
A one-sided termination of the contract without fulfilling the conditions is a clear violation of the exclusive contract system in the K-pop industry. For the virtuous cycle of K-pop to continue, NewJeans must remain as artists under ADOR; otherwise, the structure will collapse.
ADOR Claims Min Hee Jin Planned a Deliberate Split from HYBE
ADOR presented KakaoTalk messages from former CEO Min Hee Jin to claim that she had been planning to take NewJeans with her since March 2021. They alleged that she was behind the “Moms’ Protest” letter submitted to HYBE and orchestrated it to undermine the contract from behind the scenes.
They claim that the members and Min Hee Jin were “forcibly creating justifications for leaving ADOR.” The label stressed that there were no grounds for termination, stating that the agency had nurtured the defendants into global stars and had properly settled earnings, with each member receiving about 5 billion won.
The agency argued that Min Hee Jin’s true intention was to break away from HYBE and take full control of NewJeans. ADOR portrayed her actions as manipulative and claimed she used the members and their families to justify a contract breach.
ADOR Denies Trust Breakdown and Refutes Copying Claims
ADOR denied the claim that trust between the agency and the members had irreparably broken. The legal team remarked that the relationship is “not one of friends or lovers.”
They stated that the relationship was contractual and professional, not based on personal trust. Furthermore, ADOR dismissed the allegations that another group under HYBE, ILLIT, had copied NewJeans’ concept. They said this accusation was a ‘made-up excuse’ and not valid grounds for contract termination.
NewJeans Say Current ADOR Is Not the Agency They Once Trusted
The defense argued that the ADOR that the members originally signed with no longer exists. They claimed that the subsidiary has lost its original identity after HYBE’s intervention and Min Hee Jin’s removal. They highlighted,
ADOR that the members relied on no longer exists. The current ADOR is not the same one that cherished and fully supported the members under Min Hee Jin’s leadership. The biggest issue is that it can no longer be trusted.
They countered HYBE’s allegation that Min Hee Jin’s “attempt to seize management control of ADOR” is a false narrative.
The defense added that this trust has now been completely shattered, and the current ADOR cannot provide a supportive or safe environment for the group.
They viewed the situation as a case in which the members suffered the most due to the collapse of the management system.
NewJeans Members Describe Trauma and Mental Health Issues
NewJeans legal team submitted a petition letter to the court, written by the members. In the petition, they compared being told to return to ADOR to asking a school bullying victim to go back to the place where they were hurt.
In their petition, the members stated,
The staff who worked with us have already left, and the current ADOR does not sincerely accept our opinions. How much louder do we have to scream for them to understand how much we’re suffering?”
NewJeans’ side stated,
Just going near HYBE’s building makes the members’ hearts race and requires them to take antidepressants. How can anyone tell them, ‘You have to come out and sing and dance because of the contract’? Do they have no regard for the members’ personal rights?
NewJeans’ side further added,
It’s not that they refuse to return unconditionally. If it were the ADOR they once trusted and relied on, they would go back even if told not to. But the new ADOR is controlled by HYBE.
Defense Highlights HYBE’s Poor Crisis Handling
The defense criticized HYBE’s lack of preparation following Min Hee Jin’s departure. They claimed there was no strategy for how to manage NewJeans post-departure, and that the group was left in limbo.
They added that HYBE’s lack of intervention during earlier issues, such as member Hanni’s conflict and public misrepresentation, showed the company’s neglect.
The defense emphasized that while HYBE treated Min as a threat, it failed to create a workable environment for the members, which led to their complete loss of trust.
A Quick Recap
NewJeans unilaterally terminated its contract with ADOR in November last year and wrapped all scheduled commitments in January. They rebranded as NJZ in February and announced their first festival appearance.
In response to NewJeans’ announcement to operate independently under the name “NJZ,” ADOR filed for and won an injunction to block their activities. The court fully granted ADOR’s request and prevented the group from signing advertising deals or continuing promotions independently.
NewJeans appealed the injunction twice, once to the District Court and again to the High Court, but both appeals were dismissed. Additionally, the court approved ADOR’s indirect coercion request, imposing a fine of 1 billion won per member if they conduct activities outside of ADOR. If all five members perform together, the total fine could reach 5 billion won.
The mediation session on August 14 may be the last chance to resolve the issue out of court. If not, a verdict on October 30 will likely have major consequences not only for the group but for the broader K-pop industry.
