NewJeans Releases Full Response to Adore's Legal Notice, Claims No Grounds for Contract Termination

On November 29, 2024, NewJeans publicly shared all 26 pages of their response to Adore's legal notice. In the response, Adore stated that the artists' dissatisfaction with the company's efforts does not constitute a breach of contract. They expressed surprise at NewJeans' sudden intention to terminate their contract, noting that the reasons provided by the artists lacked sufficient explanation for any alleged violations of the contract's key terms.

Adore emphasized that they have fulfilled their obligations, including supporting the artists' activities, managing payments, and providing financial statements. They also mentioned that NewJeans' activities have continued smoothly even after a change in leadership, and that plans for a world tour and album release could be resolved with further discussions.

In addressing specific concerns raised by NewJeans, Adore clarified that an internal document suggesting a shift away from NewJeans did not imply abandonment of the group, but rather a strategic idea for categorizing artists. They also responded to the issue regarding a manager's inappropriate comments about member Hani, stating that they could not enforce disciplinary actions on employees from other labels.

Furthermore, Adore highlighted their efforts to delete sensitive training materials and clarified that there was no attempt to push back album releases. They also addressed the controversy involving director Shin Woo-seok, explaining that the removal of a video was a decision made by his team, not by Adore.

Regarding the return of former CEO Min Hee-jin, Adore stated that the decision to maintain specific individuals in leadership roles is a matter of internal governance and not a contractual obligation. They confirmed that Min had declined offers to return to the company.

NewJeans had previously sent a legal notice to Adore on November 13, demanding the return of Min, an investigation into the internal document, and an official apology from the manager. They warned that if their demands were not met by November 14, they would terminate their contract. On November 28, NewJeans held an emergency press conference announcing their decision to end their contract with Adore, citing a lack of support and stating that they would not be liable for any penalties or legal actions related to the termination. They expressed a desire to continue working with Min Hee-jin and affirmed their commitment to the NewJeans name.