NewJeans’ Contract Fight With ADOR Heads to Another Round of Mediation

The conflict between NewJeans and ADOR is set to continue, as both sides prepare for a second mediation session over their ongoing exclusive contract dispute.

The first mediation session took place on the afternoon of August 14 at the Seoul Central District Court’s 41st Civil Agreement Division, presided over by Judge Jeong Hoe Il. The session was attended by Minji and Danielle, who arrived in black and white outfits.

The case centers on a lawsuit filed by ADOR against all five members of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein — to confirm the validity of their exclusive contracts. The session was held behind closed doors, with attendance requested by the court.

NewJeans and ADOR to Hold Second Mediation Session Next Month

This is the first time in several months that NewJeans members have appeared in person for legal proceedings. In March, all five attended an injunction hearing related to preserving ADOR’s status and preventing them from signing advertising contracts. Since then, only their legal representatives have attended hearings.

On August 14, the 41st Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Central District Court held a closed-door mediation regarding ADOR’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of NewJeans’ contract. 

The appearance of Minji and Danielle drew a huge crowd of reporters and fans, however, they entered the courthouse without making any public comments. Security around the courtroom was heightened, with barricades placed to restrict access.

The court previously stated the matter would remain private due to its seriousness, stressing the need for individuals “with real authority” to be present.

The session lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes before the court scheduled the next mediation for September 11. If no agreement is reached, the court will proceed to a final ruling on October 30.

ADOR’s Claims

During previous arguments, ADOR said it had invested heavily in NewJeans. This included spending 21 billion won on the group, including 7 billion won for their debut album and 2 billion won for a music video. They credited HYBE with providing strong support that contributed to NewJeans’ rapid success. 

On that basis, the agency argued the members’ unilateral notice to end their contracts violated the exclusive agreement and “cannot be permitted.” ADOR also accused former CEO Min Hee Jin of attempting to “steal” the group. They presented KakaoTalk chats and claimed she encouraged the members’ parents to send protest emails aimed at ending the contract.

It also alleged instructions were given so the email would read as if it came from a particular member’s father. The seven talking points were crafted to drive a months-long public-opinion campaign. ADOR said NewJeans’ parents participated in that push and argued Min was also behind a live broadcast and an appearance at the National Assembly.

The agency argued that their trust with NewJeans remained intact, saying it had provided fair opportunities and handled settlements properly. It disputed the narrative that HYBE “abandoned” NewJeans, calling that a distortion. The legal team argued that Min Hee Jin did not raise objections at the time but later launched a media offensive using an older report. 

Addressing the controversy over an ILLIT manager allegedly telling the group members to “ignore” Hanni. ADOR argued that the incident does not justify termination and said CCTV footage was not deliberately removed but deleted automatically after 30 days. 

The agency added that it issued a corrective response, Min Hee Jin resigned a week later, and only after that did NewJeans move to terminate. They asserted Min was “behind it from beginning to end.” 

In ADOR’s view, members’ supporting her actions itself breached the contract by shifting risk to the agency while keeping the rewards of success.

NewJeans Counterguments

NewJeans’ legal team countered that the agency had changed significantly since Min Hee Jin’s removal, now being run by HYBE employees rather than the leadership that originally supported them. They argued that the group could no longer trust the current management and cited issues such as the similarity between NewJeans and fellow HYBE girl group ILLIT’s concepts. They claimed that raising these concerns led to a retaliatory audit just six days later, which was based on false premises.

The group also objected to the use of private KakaoTalk messages as evidence, calling them out-of-context jokes. They criticized the agency for failing to protect members during disputes, such as the incident where member Hanni was allegedly told to “ignore” by an ILLIT manager.

NewJeans’ lawyer emphasized that the members’ main request was to return to the ADOR that existed before April 2024, not to cut ties unconditionally. He said the current situation could not be explained without addressing Min Hee Jin’s role and the events that followed her removal.

Meanwhile, if the talks fail, the court is set to issue its decision on the contract validity lawsuit on October 30.

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