A recent court hearing has shed new light on the ongoing lawsuit between NewJeans (rebranded as NJZ) members and their agency ADOR. For the first time in court, it has been disclosed that Hyein’s father has opposed the lawsuit seeking to terminate her exclusive contract with the label.
WhileNewJeans announced contract termination in November 2024, ADOR responded with a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract since last November.
The first hearing for the lawsuit was held at the 41st Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Central District Court on April 3. There, it became clear that the parents of the group’s members held differing views on the matter.
The court asked the plaintiff, “Does this imply that the family court’s decision regarding parental authority over Defendant 4 has been confirmed?” Given that the members involved in the lawsuit are minors (Hyein and Haerin), it’s clear that their parents, as their legal guardians, hold differing opinions.
According to various media sources, Hyein’s father was against contract termination with ADOR. However, her mother subsequently sought mediation through the Seoul Family Court to limit her husband’s parental rights specifically for this lawsuit, and the court ultimately sided with her.
On April 4, NJZ parents refuted reports of a split between them through their official Instagram, saying, “All five members have a firm stance that they cannot return to HYBE, and this decision was made after sufficient discussions with their respective families. From the beginning, the members firmly promised that they would not proceed with any legal action unless all five of them agreed, they trust and support each other deeply.”
NewJeans had previously announced the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR on November 29, 2024, citing a breach of contract, and began operating independently as ‘NJZ.’ The court granted an injunction to ADOR and ordered the group to stop independent activities immediately. Following a court injunction, the members acknowledged the ruling and subsequently announced that they would halt their activities.
The first hearing for NewJeans’ objection to the injunction was held on April 9. The court is expected to announce its decision soon, which will determine whether the group can resume activities outside of ADOR.
The core issue revolves around the validity of NewJeans’ exclusive contract with ADOR. The group claims the label breached their trust, while ADOR argues the contract remains binding.
A second hearing is scheduled for June 5 to discuss the validity of the exclusive contract. Both parties will present their arguments and provide additional documentation to support their claims.
