NewJeans Announces Split from Ador, Will Continue with Min Hee-jin

The popular K-pop group NewJeans has officially declared their separation from their agency, Ador. On the evening of the 28th at 8:30 PM, NewJeans held an urgent press conference at the Galaxy Hall in the Space Share Samsung Station Center in Gangnam, Seoul, announcing their decision to terminate their exclusive contract with Ador.

This announcement follows the resignation of Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of Ador and often referred to as the 'mother' of NewJeans, from her position on October 30. On the 13th, the members sent a formal notice to Ador, demanding the return of Min Hee-jin, actions regarding inappropriate mentions of NewJeans 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 terminating their contract. The deadline for Ador's response was set for midnight on the 29th, prompting the members to share their stance during the press conference.

The timing of the press conference, just before the deadline, raised eyebrows, especially as it was announced only two and a half hours prior. The late hour coincided with heavy snowfall in Seoul, causing traffic chaos, making attendance even more challenging.

Dressed casually, the members greeted the press. Hani explained the late timing, saying, "I have an overseas trip in the morning and will return next week. I was worried about what HYBE might do in the meantime and wanted to clearly convey our position. We had no choice but to hold this press conference."

Hani firmly stated, "The reason we are leaving Ador is very simple. I believe some people understand the situation. NewJeans is an artist under Ador, and Ador has the fundamental duty to protect us. However, Ador lacks both the will and the ability to do so, which has caused us mental distress. We feel there is nothing to gain, and thus, there is no reason for the five of us to stay."

Minji added, "I want to confirm that our exclusive contract with Ador will be terminated as of midnight on the 29th." She criticized Ador and HYBE for their lack of accountability, stating, "Ador claims that HYBE is at fault, not them. But Ador and HYBE are essentially one entity now. The Ador we worked with has changed, and all the directors we knew have been dismissed. It is impossible to continue our contract under these circumstances."

She further explained, "We requested corrections regarding breaches of our contract, and the deadline is approaching. Ador has only provided a reluctant statement and has not addressed any of our demands. We have repeatedly communicated our concerns, but their insincere attitude has exhausted us. With less than four hours until the deadline, it seems unlikely that anything will change, so we will terminate our contract with Ador."

When asked about Ador's response to their ultimatum, Hani revealed, "They sent an email just before our press conference. However, after reading it, I felt it was even more serious. They mentioned that they needed more time and expressed sadness about not consulting with the members before taking action. They claimed that the actions taken were not by Ador, making it difficult to address the issues."

Regarding their future schedules and advertising contracts, Danielle reassured, "Once the contract is terminated, we will no longer be Ador artists. We aim to pursue our desired activities freely. However, we will continue with any pre-scheduled and contracted activities. We want to assure our advertisers that they need not worry. We do not wish to cause any additional harm."

The potential for a hefty penalty fee due to the termination of their contract was also discussed. According to the Fair Trade Commission's standard contract, penalties are typically calculated based on the average monthly revenue over the past two years multiplied by the remaining months of the contract. This could amount to billions of won for NewJeans. However, Hae-rin stated, "We have never violated our contract. We believe we have no reason to pay any penalties. In fact, it is Ador and HYBE that have breached the contract, so the responsibility lies with HYBE."

The group name 'NewJeans' also raises questions about trademark rights. Hyein stated, "We may not be able to use the name NewJeans against our will. However, the five of us are NewJeans, and we have no intention of giving up the name. It is not just a trademark issue for us; it represents all the days we have spent together since we first met. We will work to secure the rights to the name NewJeans."

As for the possibility of a legal battle over the contract, Minji expressed, "We don’t see a need to file for a preliminary injunction. The essence of this situation stems from a lack of mutual respect. We raised our voices against the unfair treatment we received, and the absence of a response led to this outcome."

The members expressed their desire to continue working with Min Hee-jin in the future. Minji stated, "I want to have good activities with Min Hee-jin," and Hae-rin added, "I believe she shares the same thoughts as us."

Hani shared that their parents are supportive, saying, "Our parents encourage us a lot. They think it’s absurd to go through this situation, but we won’t hide from it. We want to freely and happily continue doing what we love, which is why we are terminating our contract."

The members also closed the door on the possibility of improving relations with Ador or HYBE, with Minji stating, "We have communicated our position multiple times. Now, wanting to talk seems like a mere show. The statement released yesterday felt forced."

Hae-rin added, "We have been hurt and shocked by media manipulation. We have seen too many instances where false information is exaggerated to mislead the public. We have lost trust in Ador and HYBE."

Some questioned the timing of the press conference, held before Ador's response was received. Minji clarified, "We had already provided the correction details and timeline, but nothing was done. They showed no interest in addressing our concerns, only providing lies and excuses. We no longer want to waste our precious time. After midnight on the 29th, we will proceed with the termination of our contract as planned."

She concluded, "We will discuss legal matters later. This is a unique case, and we are simply expressing our opinions for now."