NewJeans Members Seek Legal Counsel Amid Contract Dispute with Ador

The five members of NewJeans have appointed legal representation and are soliciting new stage names, while Ador maintains that their exclusive contract remains valid. On January 23, Ador issued a statement asserting, "Ador believes that the exclusive contract with NewJeans is still in effect and we are diligently engaging in the court proceedings." They expressed concern that the members' attempts to independently pursue entertainment activities, such as the name solicitation, could constitute a serious breach of contract. Earlier that day, members Minji (민지), Hani (하니), Danielle (다니엘), Haerin (해린), and Hyein (혜인) announced via a newly created unofficial social media account that they would be holding a two-day contest for a new activity name, encouraging fans to participate in the comments. They had previously stated, "To be clear, the five of us have no intention of returning to HYBE and Ador, where we cannot even expect the bare minimum of good faith," and revealed that they have chosen the law firm Sejong (법무법인 세종) as their legal representative. Sejong is known for representing former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin (민희진).