Members of girl group NewJeans (from left) Hyein, Haerin and Danielle answer questions from reporters outside the Seoul Central District Court building in southern Seoul on March 7 after taking part in the injunction case against their agency ADOR. [NEWS1]
Parents of girl group NewJeans’ members denied ongoing rumors that one of member Haerin’s parents opposed the whole idea of fighting HYBE and ADOR, stressing that “none of this could have started with everyone’s consent.”
Rumors began circulating last month that Haerin’s mother opposed the idea of a legal battle against the group’s agency ADOR, and did not sign her name as the legal guardian of the singer in the ongoing case against ADOR. Haerin, born in May 2006, has to be represented by her legal guardian because she is still a minor.
Online posts claimed that Haerin was only represented by her father, as opposed to other members whose both parents took part in the suit against ADOR.
A report by Chosun Biz confirmed that the court addressed the issue during a hearing on Thursday and asked whether the Family Court had verified the parental right of “Defendant No. 4.” The issue was also mentioned during a hearing held on March 7 for the injunction filed by ADOR to halt NewJeans’ members rogue activities.
“Some media reported that ‘the members’ parents are falling apart’ but that is not true,” the parents of the five NewJeans singers said in a press release on Friday evening.
![Members of girl group NewJeans leave the Seoul Central District Court building in southern Seoul on March 7 after taking part in the injunction case against their agency ADOR. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/04/04/49c1c2d2-b21b-4187-a992-f9c94245f647.jpg)
Members of girl group NewJeans leave the Seoul Central District Court building in southern Seoul on March 7 after taking part in the injunction case against their agency ADOR. [YONHAP]
The statement was titled “The statement of the parents of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein,” instead of mentioning the name NewJeans or NJZ. The parents and members had also shut down the Instagram accounts they had set up under the name NJZ after the court sided with ADOR last month.
“All of the five members are clear about their positions that they cannot return to HYBE,” continued the parents. “This was a decision that they made after careful talks with their parents. We promised that we would not take any legal action if it wasn’t a unanimous decision, so the members are strong in their trust in each other.”
The guardianship issue is not about Haerin, but the mother of the other member, who they did not clarify, also feels strong about the ongoing lawsuits, according to the statement.
“We would like to make it clear that all the families of the members respect and support their children,” the parents said. “The agency, with whom we must work upon trust, is trying to manipulate public opinion with a member’s family issues. We cannot send our children back to such a place.”
![A picture of members of NewJeans, who called rebranded themselves as NJZ [COMPLEXCON HONG KONG]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/04/04/36932d8e-c950-45b4-8819-78a86aa3c4ad.jpg)
A picture of members of NewJeans, who called rebranded themselves as NJZ [COMPLEXCON HONG KONG]
“The new management and ADOR and HYBE have never showed us trust and this remains the same to this day,” added the parents.
On March 21, the Seoul Central District Court has approved ADOR’s request for an injunction on NewJeanss independent activities outside of the agency, following the first hearing that took place on March 7.
The first hearing for the lawsuit that requests the court to verify whether the members’ termination of their contracts with ADOR were legally sound took place on Thursday.
The second hearing will take place on June 5.
BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]