On April 8, 2025, South Korean media outlet New Daily reported that the parent opposing the legal action against ADOR regarding contact termination was not NewJeans’ Haerin’s mother, as earlier believed, but Hyein’s father.
This update came after rampant speculation following an April 4 report by Chosun Ilbo. The outlet hinted at a split among the guardians of NewJeans’ underage members, implying it was causing friction in the legal push. The topic surfaced during the April 3, 2025, court session held at Seoul Central District Court.
During the proceedings, the presiding judge questioned if the underage members’ parents had signed off on the lawsuit. This query prompted speculation (mostly aimed at Haerin’s side). It led many to believe that Haerin’s mother might be the one objecting to the legal move.
Earlier court records had revealed a discrepancy in legal authority during a March 7, 2025, hearing. The court had noted irregularities in the representatives’ documentation, which hinted at an internal civil dispute over guardianship rights.
The legal records referred to “Defendant 4,” further listing only Haerin’s father as her legal representative. This made online sleuths suspect her mother may have been the parent in opposition. However, an in-depth investigation by New Daily has corrected this assumption.
Their findings show that it was actually Hyein’s father (known publicly as Mr. A) who opposed the contract termination. Though both of Hyein’s parents had earlier joined the others in sending ADOR a formal exit notice in November 2024, Mr. A later changed his stance and disagreed with taking legal action.
His shift in position led to a civil court case with Hyein’s mother, Ms. B, over who could officially represent their daughter. This courtroom standoff ended on March 14, 2025, when the judge gave full parental authority to Ms. B. Now, Ms. B alone acts as Hyein’s legal spokesperson in the ongoing case.
NJZ (NewJeans) recently went on a hiatus
In March 2025, the popular K-pop act NewJeans revealed they were stepping back from all activities following a legal clash with their label, ADOR. A court in Seoul sided with ADOR, issuing an order that blocked the five members from continuing solo ventures without the company’s go-ahead.
This decision backed the binding agreements the group had earlier signed with ADOR, which works under the larger entertainment firm HYBE. The ruling came after a tense fallout that began in late 2024 when Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein collectively chose to end their contracts with the agency.
NewJeans indicted ADOR of unfair treatment and mismanagement. The company, however, denied the claims, insisting the contracts were still valid and legally firm. Further, to defend itself, ADOR pointed to its heavy financial backing of the group.
They claimed that each member had already received around 5 billion KRW as part of their deal. After the K-pop girl group’s notice of contract termination, ADOR brought the matter to court. The HYBE subsidiary also banned any outside promotions by the members.
However, NewJeans (under the name NJZ) surprised fans with a live performance at ComplexCon in Hong Kong on March 23, 2025. They even introduced a fresh track titled Pit Stop during the show, before announcing a hiatus on the same day.
With the court reinforcing ADOR’s control, the girl group’s future actions remain on hold, and what lies ahead for them is uncertain.
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Edited by Janhavi Chauhan