NewJeans Members Clash with Ador Over Contract Dispute

The conflict between the five members of NewJeans and their agency Ador has escalated significantly. On January 23, the members—Minji (민지), Hani (하니), Danielle (다니엘), Haerin (해린), and Hyein (혜인)—announced via an unofficial social media account that they have appointed a lawyer and are seeking new activity names after confirming that Ador has filed a lawsuit for the validity of their exclusive contract and requested a temporary injunction against their independent activities.

The law firm Sejong, which represents former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, has been chosen by the members, who stated, "We believe it is necessary to have a law firm that can respond to Ador and HYBE. Sejong is the most suitable choice as they are already aware of the issues and problems with HYBE and Ador."

The members expressed their frustrations, claiming, "While Ador and HYBE tell us to return, they have been continuously harassing us behind the scenes. Recently, they even attempted to meet some of our parents secretly to manipulate or sow discord. We wish to resolve this matter fairly and transparently, rather than through cowardly tactics and false media plays. We firmly state that we have no intention of returning to HYBE and Ador, who we cannot trust."

In conjunction with their legal actions, the members also announced a call for new activity names on their private social media, inviting their official fandom, Bunnies (버니즈), to participate in the selection process.

Ador responded with disappointment, stating, "We believe the exclusive contract is still valid and are diligently engaging in the legal process. We regret that the members are attempting independent activities, which could constitute a serious breach of contract before a legal judgment is made."

The members had previously declared the termination of their contract with Ador during an emergency press conference on November 28, 2024, citing the agency's lack of willingness and ability to protect them. Following this, they continued with previously scheduled activities and opened a new private social media account to communicate with fans.

Ador has expressed a desire to continue working with NewJeans and has filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract. They explained, "We did not wish for issues with our artists to be resolved through legal means, but it is necessary to clarify that an exclusive contract cannot be easily terminated based on one party's claims."

Additionally, on January 13, Ador officially announced that they had applied for a temporary injunction to prevent the NewJeans members from independently entering into advertising contracts without the agency's approval. Ador stated that this application reflects their intention to continue working with the members.

As NewJeans seeks legal representation and new activity names while Ador aims for a resolution through the courts, the outcome of this ongoing conflict remains to be seen.