ADOR Responds to NewJeans' Contract Termination Claims

On November 28, 2024, ADOR expressed regret regarding the claims made by NewJeans about terminating their exclusive contract. The agency stated, "We are disappointed that a press conference regarding the contract termination was planned and conducted without sufficient review, even before receiving a response to the notice of claim."

Earlier that day, NewJeans held an emergency press conference in Gangnam, Seoul, announcing their intention to terminate their contract with ADOR. This announcement followed the resignation of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin on October 30. On November 13, the members of NewJeans sent a notice demanding Min's return, actions regarding inappropriate mentions of the group in internal documents at HYBE, and an apology for comments made by another label manager telling member Hani to 'ignore' them. They stated that if these demands were not addressed within two weeks, they would proceed with contract termination.

The deadline for ADOR's response to the notice was set for midnight on November 29. During the press conference, the members expressed that trust had been broken with ADOR in the absence of Min Hee-jin and declared that they would no longer be affiliated with the agency starting at midnight.

In response, ADOR reiterated, "We regret that the press conference regarding the contract termination was conducted without sufficient review before we received a response to the notice. As the party to the exclusive contract, ADOR has not violated the agreement, and claims of a unilateral breakdown of trust do not constitute grounds for termination. The exclusive contract between ADOR and NewJeans remains valid, and we hope that future schedules will continue as planned with ADOR."

The agency also mentioned that they had requested multiple meetings with the artists, which had not materialized. They expressed a desire for an open dialogue to resolve the situation, stating, "ADOR will do its utmost to support NewJeans in their activities and help them grow as global artists."

During the press conference, when asked if they had received a response from ADOR regarding the notice, the members revealed, "We received an email just an hour before the press conference. After reading it, we felt it was serious. The main point was that they asked us to take action by the 14th, but they expressed that 'there was not enough time, and it was sad that this happened without meeting the members.' They also mentioned that it was difficult to take action because it was not something ADOR had done."

While asserting their claim to terminate the contract, the members indicated that they would continue with scheduled activities and existing advertising contracts, stating, "We believe that the responsibility for the current situation lies with ADOR and HYBE for violating the contract." They also affirmed their commitment to the name NewJeans, saying, "We have no intention of giving up the name NewJeans," and addressed the possibility of legal action, stating, "We don't think we need to file for a provisional injunction against ADOR."

Regarding future activities, they expressed a desire to work with Min Hee-jin, while not commenting specifically on HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk. They concluded by stating, "Our parents are supportive of us, and we will provide legal updates in the future. This is a unique situation, and we are sharing our perspective now."