ADOR Responds to NewJeans' Statement: 'We Fully Trust Hani'

On November 27, 2024, ADOR, the agency representing the K-pop group NewJeans, issued a response regarding a statement made by member Hani, who claimed she was told to 'ignore' a situation involving a member of Belift Lab. This response comes after NewJeans sent a formal notice to ADOR demanding an apology from Belift Lab.

In their official statement shared on social media, ADOR expressed concern that ongoing disputes over the facts could lead to unnecessary controversies surrounding their artists. They stated, 'Despite our careful approach, the related issues have not been resolved, prompting us to clarify our position.'

ADOR emphasized that Belift Lab's claims contradict Hani's account. They noted, 'Hani distinctly remembers an incident on May 27, 2024, where a member of Belift Lab told her to “ignore” or “just pass by.” It is unreasonable to expect Hani to recall every detail of a brief encounter to validate her experience, as this sets an excessively harsh standard for victims. We fully trust our artist's words and genuinely regret the distress Hani has faced.'

The agency urged Belift Lab to acknowledge Hani's experience with the seriousness it deserves and to demonstrate mutual respect, hoping to prevent further unnecessary controversies involving their artists.

Previously, NewJeans had sent a formal notice to ADOR and CEO Kim Joo-young, stating that if their demands for corrective action were not met, they would terminate their exclusive contract. The members signed the notice, which outlined significant breaches of contract that they requested be addressed within 14 days.

Below is the full statement from ADOR:

*This statement is in response to the formal notice from the artist.*

Hello, this is ADOR. On October 7, 2024, Belift Lab released a statement regarding the 'manager ignore incident' through their official account. We have maintained a cautious stance to avoid unnecessary controversies surrounding our artists. However, despite our efforts, the related issues remain unresolved, prompting us to clarify our position.

Belift Lab's claims are entirely at odds with Hani's statements. Hani clearly remembers that on May 27, 2024, a member of Belift Lab made comments to her suggesting she should 'ignore' or 'just pass by.' It is unreasonable to expect Hani to recall every detail of a brief incident to substantiate her claims, as this imposes an excessively harsh standard on victims. We fully trust our artist's words and sincerely regret the harm Hani has suffered.

We hope that Belift Lab will take Hani's experience seriously and show mutual respect, and we ask that they demonstrate a sincere attitude to prevent further unnecessary controversies involving our artists.