NewJeans Restructures Legal Team Amid Dispute with Ador

K-pop group NewJeans has reorganized its legal representation as it faces a dispute with their agency, Ador. On May 9, NewJeans submitted an additional designation of attorneys in response to Ador's lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contract. They have appointed Park Hyung-nam, a prominent lawyer from the law firm Woosung, who previously served as the head of the Judicial Policy Research Institute and a senior judge at the Seoul High Court.

This brings the total number of lawyers representing NewJeans to 14, including those from the law firm Sejong and attorneys who previously represented Min Hee-jin, the former head of Ador.

In contrast, Ador has retained Kim & Chang as their legal representatives and has assembled a team of 13 lawyers, including former Constitutional Court Justice Kang Il-won and attorney Cheon Ji-sung, the daughter of a former Minister of Justice.

While the number of lawyers does not directly influence the outcome of the trial, the significant legal fees and high-profile attorneys indicate that neither party is willing to back down in this legal battle.

NewJeans announced their independent activities last November, claiming that their contract with Ador was terminated due to breaches by the agency. In response, Ador filed a lawsuit against the members, seeking to maintain their status as a management agency and to prevent the signing of advertising contracts.

In March, the court granted all of Ador's requests for provisional measures, which halted NewJeans' independent activities. Although NewJeans filed an objection, it was dismissed, leading them to submit an appeal and pause their activities.

During the first hearing in April, the members reiterated their lack of intention to return to Ador, while Ador expressed a willingness to negotiate a settlement.

The second hearing for the main lawsuit is scheduled for June 5.