Korean media carried out an investigation.
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It was previously reported by Korean media that one out of the NJZ‘s (NewJeans) parents had opposed to file a lawsuit against ADOR. Back then, it was guessed by netizens that this member was Haerin. Reports also claimed that her mother had been the one not to agree.
Household Drama — One Underage NJZ (NewJeans) Member’s Mom And Dad Have Differing Opinions On Contract Termination
Later on, the members’ parents issued an official statement to denounce this. On April 8, 2025, Korean media revealed that it was not Haerin, but Hyein. Further investigation by New Daily revealed that it was not Haerin’s family, but rather Hyein’s father who opposed the lawsuit, even leading to a civil lawsuit between Hyein’s parents over who had the legal right to act as her guardian in court.
Earlier, Chosun Ilbo reported that during the first hearing on April 3, the presiding judge at Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 41 asked the defendants, “Regarding Defendant 4, are you saying that the Family Court has already ruled on the exercise of parental rights and has approved all the litigation actions up to this point?”
Chosun Ilbo noted that among the members only Hyein and Haerin are minors, and the judge’s comments implied that a disagreement had occurred between the parents of one of the minors regarding the exercise of parental rights for the contract termination suit, prompting them to take the matter to the Family Court.
On a hearing from March 7, 2025, the judge also stated, “Currently, there is a defect in the right of litigation representation,” indicating that there was conflict amongst one of the parents or members regarding the issue. The Chosun Ilbo continued that the fact that the court ruled on parental rights and acknowledged the continuation of the lawsuit suggests that the parent who opposed the lawsuit had their authority limited, and the lawsuit proceeded based on the consent of the parent who supported it.
Due to an online court record that named Defendant 4 with the last name Kang, many thought it referred to Haerin. As Haerin and Hyein are minors, their parents are named in the court record as defendants instead. This could refer to either parent. As spouses do not adopt their partner’s last name in South Korea, many thought Defendant 4 was Haerin’s parents as Haerin has the last name Kang.
New Daily’s investigation found that the parent who opposed the lawsuit was actually Hyein’s father. NewJeans, now operating independently under the name NJZ, has been in conflict with their agency ADOR since November 2023 over their exclusive contracts. While it’s unclear what Hyein’s father’s stance was when NJZ initially notified ADOR of contract termination on November 29, 2023, it appears he originally aligned with the group and the other parents. But at some point, he changed his mind and opposed the termination, leading to a legal dispute with his wife over who had the right to represent Hyein.
In a Family Court hearing on March 14, 2025, regarding legal custody rights filed by Hyein’s mother against her father,, the court ruled in favor of her mother. As a result, Hyein’s mother is now recognized as Hyein’s sole legal representative in ongoing related lawsuits.
You can read more on the parents’ joint statement below.
NJZ’s (NewJeans) Parents Address Rumors Of Haerin’s Family Disputing Over Contract Termination