NewJeans Declares Legal Battle Against Ador
On April 3, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court held its first hearing regarding Ador's lawsuit against the five members of NewJeans, seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contract. While NewJeans previously attended a hearing related to Ador's request for a temporary injunction to prevent the group from signing contracts with other agencies, they did not appear for this session.
Ador maintains that the exclusive contract signed with NewJeans in April 2022 is still valid and expressed a willingness to negotiate or reach a settlement. However, NewJeans asserts that they terminated the contract in November 2023 and stated, "We cannot consider any form of negotiation."
A significant point of contention during the hearing was the differing views on former CEO Min. Ador acknowledged Min's contributions to the group's success but argued that NewJeans could exist without him. They emphasized that as a subsidiary of the leading company HYBE, they could support NewJeans through other producers. They also pointed out that NewJeans successfully completed a recent concert in Hong Kong without Min's assistance, suggesting inconsistencies in NewJeans' claims.
In response, NewJeans expressed distrust towards Ador, citing the complete change in management and a lack of communication regarding alternatives following Min's departure. They stated, "The fundamental trust has been broken, making collaboration impossible."
Ador countered that Min left voluntarily, not as a result of being ousted. They claimed that even after the court deemed the management change legal, they offered Min a chance to continue as a director and producer, which he declined, leading to a breakdown in communication and NewJeans' unilateral declaration of contract termination.
NewJeans announced their contract termination with Ador in November 2023, prompting Ador to file for both a temporary injunction and a formal lawsuit against the members. On March 21, the court granted Ador's request for a temporary injunction, leading NewJeans to announce a halt in their activities.
The next court date is set for June 5, 2025, at 11:10 AM. The judge noted the unusual nature of the case, stating, "There have been instances where contracts were terminated without any settlements, but this is a unique situation. I will consider how to assess the trust relationship."
