NewJeans Vs ADOR: Both Parties REFUSE To Settle Despite Hours Long Mediation At District Court
The legal standoff between K-pop group NewJeans and their agency ADOR continues with no resolution in sight. On August 14, the Civil Settlement Division 41 of the Seoul Central District Court held a mediation session for ADOR’s lawsuit against members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contracts.
ADOR and NewJeans fail to settle
Members Minji and Danielle attended the session in person, briefly telling reporters, “Sorry,” before entering the courtroom. The closed-door discussion lasted about an hour and 20 minutes but ended without an agreement. According to reports, both sides remained firm in their positions.
The court has scheduled another mediation session for September 11. Should that also fail, a final ruling is expected on October 30.
More about ADOR vs NewJeans
The dispute dates back to August last year, when ADOR’s former CEO Min Hee-Jin was dismissed. In November, NewJeans announced they were terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR and rebranded as NJZ, stating they would continue activities independently. ADOR responded in December by filing a lawsuit, claiming the group had unilaterally ended their contracts.
In January, the court sided with ADOR in an injunction, preserving the agency’s management rights and prohibiting the members from signing independent advertising or promotional contracts. This effectively paused NJZ’s independent activities.
While ADOR maintains the contracts remain legally binding and is pushing for a settlement, NewJeans argues that trust between the parties has been irreparably broken, leaving no possibility of returning to the agency. The girls have stated that going back would harm their mental health.
With the next mediation just weeks away, the standoff shows no signs of easing. If no compromise is reached, the October ruling could mark a decisive turning point in one of the most high-profile legal battles in recent K-pop history.