NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have decided to end their legal fight and continue their activities with their agency, ADOR. This comes after a long court battle and a major ruling that confirmed the validity of their contracts.
The issue started back in late 2024. All five members of NewJeans had ended their contracts with ADOR on their own. They said there was a loss of trust after their former CEO and mentor, Min Hee Jin, was removed from her position.
In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit asking the court to confirm that the members’ exclusive contracts (valid until 2029) were still legally binding.
On October 30, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR. The court said there wasn’t enough reason for the members to end their contracts. It also said that Min Hee Jin’s dismissal did not mean ADOR had broken the agreement, and that the agency could still manage the group properly.
During the legal fight, the members tried to continue activities under the name NJZ, but in March 2025, a court blocked them from doing any entertainment work without ADOR’s permission.
On November 12, 2025, ADOR released an official statement about the return of Hyein and Haerin, saying, “NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have expressed their intent to continue their activities with ADOR.”
The decision was made after the members engaged in “careful consideration with their families and thorough discussions with ADOR.” As a result, they have decided to “respect the court’s ruling and uphold their exclusive contracts”.
ADOR is committed to doing its “utmost so that Haerin and Hyein can continue their entertainment activities smoothly.” The agency asked for “fans’ warm support” and urged everyone to “refrain from making unfounded speculations about the members.”
In April, it was revealed through court proceedings and media reports that Hyein’s father opposed the lawsuit to terminate the group’s exclusive contract with ADOR. The disagreement between Hyein’s parents on how to proceed with the legal case led to a civil lawsuit over who had the right to act as her legal guardian in the matter.
On March 14, 2025, a family court ruled in favor of Hyein’s mother, granting her sole legal authority to represent Hyein in the ongoing lawsuit against ADOR. This ruling effectively restricted the father’s parental rights for the duration of this specific legal case.
In response to online rumors, the parents of all five NewJeans members issued a joint statement on April 4, 2025, to address the situation. The parents explicitly stated, “The reports from some media outlets claiming that there is a division among the members’ parents are completely untrue.” They emphasized that all families are united in supporting their children’s decision not to return to HYBE.
The statement also addressed rumors specifically targeting Haerin’s family, calling them “completely untrue.” It asserted that “Haerin and her parents are fully aligned in their position.” They attributed these rumors to attempts to create division within the group.
For now, only Haerin and Hyein have decided to stay with ADOR. The other three members—Minji, Hanni, and Danielle—have not made a final decision yet. Their legal team said they plan to appeal the court’s ruling, but things may change after this new development.
Haerin and Hyein’s return is a big turning point in the NewJeans case. Fans are now waiting to see what will happen next and whether the rest of the group will also return to ADOR.
