NewJeans Announces Termination of Contract with Ador and HYBE

On November 28, 2024, the K-pop group NewJeans held an emergency press conference in Galaxy Hall at the Space Share Samsung Station Center in Gangnam, Seoul, to announce their decision to terminate their exclusive contract with Ador and HYBE. Members Kim Minji, Hani, Marsh Daniel, Kang Hae-rin, and Lee Hye-in were present at the event.

Hani opened the conference by stating, "Before we begin, I want to clarify that the demands we communicated to Ador two weeks ago and during our YouTube live in September were decisions made collectively by all five of us." She continued, "The reason we are leaving Ador is simple. Those who understand the situation will know that NewJeans is an artist under Ador, which has a duty to protect us. However, Ador has shown neither the willingness nor the ability to do so. We believe that staying would only waste our time and prolong our mental distress. Most importantly, we see no professional benefit in remaining, so we all feel there is no reason to stay."

Minji added, "I want to announce that our exclusive contract with Ador will be terminated as of midnight on the 29th. Currently, HYBE and Ador are trying to play word games, claiming that any issues are solely with HYBE and not Ador, which cannot be grounds for a breach of contract. However, as everyone knows, HYBE and Ador are essentially one entity. The Ador we worked with has changed significantly, and many of the directors we previously collaborated with have been abruptly dismissed. We cannot accept the argument that we should maintain our contract with an Ador that has lost our trust and has severed ties with those who worked hard alongside us."

Daniel stated, "Once the contract is terminated, we will no longer be artists under Ador. We aim to pursue our desired activities freely. However, we will continue with scheduled commitments that have already been arranged. We want to express our gratitude to our advertisers for their ongoing support and assure them that we do not wish to cause any inconvenience due to this contract termination."

Hae-rin commented on the issue of penalties, saying, "I have seen articles regarding penalties, but we have not violated our contract. We have done our best in our activities, and I believe there is no reason for us to pay any penalties. The current situation arose because Ador and HYBE violated the contract, and the responsibility lies with them."

Hye-in mentioned, "After midnight, we may not be able to use the name NewJeans for a while, regardless of our intentions. However, the essence of who we are does not change. We have no intention of giving up. For some, the name NewJeans may seem like just a trademark issue, but for us, it holds significant meaning from the day we first met. We will strive to secure our rights to the name NewJeans."

During the Q&A session that followed the members' statements, discussions turned to NewJeans' future plans. Although they announced the termination of their contract effective at midnight on the 29th, there was a focus on the potential legal disputes with HYBE and Ador. Minji clarified, "The request for a temporary injunction is based on the fact that Ador and HYBE violated the contract, and once the contract is terminated, its validity ceases, so our activities will not be hindered. We believe we can continue our activities without needing to file for an injunction."

NewJeans emphasized that they are terminating the contract due to violations by HYBE and Ador, and Minji reiterated, "The contract will be terminated as of midnight today due to their breach."

The group also expressed their desire to work with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. Minji stated, "As mentioned, we will proceed with our scheduled activities, and if possible, we would like to work with Min Hee-jin."

In response to NewJeans' press conference, Ador expressed regret over the group's decision to hold a press conference without sufficient review before receiving a response to their notice. They stated, "As the party to the exclusive contract, Ador has not violated the contract, and simply claiming that trust has been broken does not constitute grounds for termination. The exclusive contract between Ador and the NewJeans members remains valid. Therefore, we hope that future schedules will continue as before with Ador."