On July 24, the third hearing in the civil case between ADOR and the members of NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein) took place at the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Agreement Division 41, presided over by Judge Jung Hoe-il. The case centers on ADOR’s request for the court to affirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the members.
During the hearing, both ADOR and the members’ legal teams delivered 30-minute presentations outlining their respective arguments. Prior to the main proceedings, NewJeans’ legal representatives requested the court to avoid mentioning illegally obtained evidence during the open trial, even if it had been submitted in written form.
However, during ADOR’s presentation, the legal team referenced a controversial KakaoTalk message allegedly sent by former CEO Min Hee-jin, stating: “We’ll get them [NewJeans] back in three years.” The members’ side immediately objected, arguing that the evidence was being “intentionally aired in open court,” despite prior requests not to disclose such material publicly.
The presiding judge dismissed the objection, stating, “I already know about this. Do you think reporters don’t?” When the NewJeans’ legal team continued to protest, the judge warned, “You cannot interrupt the proceedings like this. Please refrain from doing so. The ‘taking back’ claim is something we’ve already heard.”
Tensions between NewJeans and ADOR escalated last November when the group held an emergency press conference, declaring a breakdown in trust with both ADOR and its parent company, HYBE, and announcing their intent to terminate their exclusive contracts.
In response, ADOR filed the current lawsuit to confirm the contracts’ validity and also sought an injunction to prohibit the members from signing new endorsement deals or engaging in business activities under another agency. The court granted the injunction in March, siding with ADOR, and upheld the decision again in the appeals process.
In the previous two hearings, the conflict remained unresolved. While ADOR expressed a willingness to reach a settlement, the NewJeans members firmly rejected the idea, stating, “The relationship of trust with ADOR is beyond repair. There’s no going back.”
ADOR has also accused the group of frequently changing the reasons for terminating the contract, stating, “The individual grounds cited by the members are unjustified. We will submit detailed rebuttals in writing before the next hearing.”
The next session is expected to further examine the evolving legal arguments from both sides in what has become one of the most high-profile entertainment industry disputes in Korea this year.
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