NewJeans Reiterates Breakup with Ador in Court Hearing

On June 4, a second hearing took place at the Seoul Central District Court regarding the validity of the exclusive contract between NewJeans and Ador. The court session was presided over by Chief Judge Jeong Hoe-il. Notably, NewJeans did not attend the hearing, with only their legal representatives and those from Ador present to discuss the contract issues.

The NewJeans team stated, "The trust between us and Ador has completely broken down. We have crossed a river that cannot be crossed back. We have no intention of reaching an agreement." In contrast, Ador expressed a willingness to settle, saying, "If the court provides a conclusion, we can discuss an agreement afterward."

Last November, NewJeans announced the termination of their contract with Ador due to alleged breaches. They subsequently rebranded themselves as 'NJZ' and began independent activities. However, Ador filed for a confirmation of the contract's validity, along with requests to maintain their status as the agency and to prohibit any advertising contracts.

The court granted all of Ador's requests. Following this, NewJeans filed an immediate objection and halted their activities.

On May 30, the court also approved Ador's request for indirect enforcement against NewJeans, ruling that they must not engage in independent or third-party entertainment activities without prior approval from Ador until the first-instance judgment on the contract's validity is delivered. If NewJeans violates this ruling, they will be liable to pay Ador 1 billion KRW for each violation, and if they perform as a complete group independently, they will owe 5 billion KRW at once.

The next court date is scheduled for July 24.