NewJeans Announces Termination of Exclusive Contract Effective Midnight on the 29th

On November 28, 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 the termination of their exclusive contract. Members Kim Minji, Hani, Daniel Marsh, 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 via YouTube Live in September and through a formal notice two weeks ago were decisions made collectively by all five of us. The reason for this emergency press conference is that the deadline for our demands is today at midnight, and despite the end of business hours, HYBE and the current ADOR have shown no willingness to improve or address our requests. We are concerned about potential media manipulation from HYBE and ADOR while we are abroad for our schedule in Japan tomorrow, so we felt it was necessary to convey our position clearly."

Hani continued, "The reason we are leaving ADOR is straightforward. Those who understand the situation will know that NewJeans is an artist under ADOR, which has a fundamental obligation to protect us. However, ADOR has neither the will nor the ability to do so. We believe that remaining with them would only waste our time and prolong our mental distress. Most importantly, we see no professional benefits in staying, so we all agree there is no reason to continue."

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 HYBE's fault and not ADOR's, which they argue cannot constitute a breach of contract. However, as everyone knows, HYBE and ADOR are essentially one entity. The ADOR we have worked with has changed significantly, and many of the directors we previously worked 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 the directors who worked hard alongside us."

Minji further explained, "We have made demands regarding breaches of contract, and the deadline for those demands ends at midnight. The responses we have received have been mere formalities without any genuine intention to address our concerns. We have expressed our opinions multiple times through live broadcasts and other means, but we have grown weary of their insincere attitude and feel that they have no intention of meeting our requests. Therefore, since no corrections have been made, we will terminate our exclusive contract at midnight on the 29th."

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 any scheduled commitments that have already been arranged. We want to express our gratitude to our advertisers for their ongoing support and assure them that there is no need for concern. We do not wish to cause any harm to others through this contract termination."

Hae-rin commented on the issue of potential penalties, saying, "I have seen articles regarding penalties, but we have not violated our exclusive contract. We have always done our best in our activities, and I believe there is no reason for us to pay any penalties. The current situation has arisen because ADOR and HYBE have breached the contract, and I believe 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 is much more than that. It represents the significance of our journey since the day we first met, and we will strive to secure our rights to the name NewJeans."

Minji emphasized the importance of mindset, stating, "I believe that a courageous person can change the world and live independently. Not everyone has the courage to act on their convictions. I had the support of Bunnies and my fellow members, which made this possible. I drew a lot of courage from CEO Min Hee-jin. Throughout our time working together, I have seen her work diligently, surrounded by great people. She expressed a desire to 'set a precedent,' which has been a significant source of courage for us. Many people make promises, but it is challenging to uphold them with one's life on the line. If we do not take the initiative, nothing will be resolved, and no one will solve it for us. That is why we have created this platform to speak openly. We know that many challenges lie ahead, and we may face obstacles, but the five of us have decided to unite our strengths and enjoy the adventures and challenges that await us. We hope you will support and watch over us during this journey."

Meanwhile, on November 13, NewJeans sent a formal notice to ADOR demanding that all significant breaches of their exclusive contract be corrected within 14 days of receiving the letter, or they would terminate the contract. The notice included issues such as comments made by HYBE suggesting that NewJeans could be replaced, a lack of action regarding disrespectful treatment of member Hani by a manager from another label (Belift Lab), and the unauthorized release of photos and videos from their trainee days, among other concerns.

In response to the situation regarding the disrespectful comments, ADOR stated on November 27, "We hope that Belift Lab will show mutual respect and not take Hani's situation lightly, and we hope to demonstrate a sincere attitude to prevent unnecessary controversies regarding our artists."