On April 4, 2025, reports emerged suggesting that one of the parents of a member of the popular girl group NewJeans opposed the termination of the group’s exclusive contract with their agency, ADOR.
According to NewJeans’ parents’ statement: “The malicious rumors concerning member Haerin are completely false. Haerin and her parents are fully aligned in their beliefs. Furthermore, speculation about their family matters is entirely baseless. These unfounded assumptions have caused severe emotional distress to both the member and her family.
The issue of parental rights pertains to another member. This decision was made out of respect for the minor child’s wishes, in full agreement with her mother. We ask that people refrain from further speculation regarding this family matter as well. We want to emphasize that all families are currently respecting and supporting their children without exception.”
Rumors initially pointed to Haerin’s mother as the opposing party. However, upon further investigation by New Daily, it was revealed that Hyein’s father was the one who disagreed with the contract termination. This disagreement has led to a civil lawsuit between him and his wife over the matter of legal guardianship.
Earlier, on April 3, 2025, Chosun Ilbo reported on the ongoing lawsuit regarding the validity of NewJeans’ contract with ADOR. The first hearing of the case included questions from the judge concerning the exercise of parental rights in the context of the lawsuit, specifically asking if the actions in the case had been approved by the parents, given that two members of NewJeans, Hyein and Haerin, are minors. The report suggested that there was a discrepancy in the opinions of the parents regarding the termination of the exclusive contract.
In subsequent legal proceedings, the court raised concerns over the lack of proper representation in the lawsuit, pointing out that there were issues with the authority of the parents to act on behalf of their minor children. Chosun Ilbo explained that the case indicated a lack of consensus between the parents regarding the contract termination, which led to the involvement of family courts to resolve the issue.
Following the reports, some speculated online that “Defendant 4” mentioned in the legal documents referred to Haerin, due to the fact that Haerin is the only member with the surname Kang among NewJeans’ members. However, further investigation confirmed that it was indeed Hyein’s father, not Haerin’s, who opposed the termination of the contract.
The ongoing legal battles began in November 2024, when NewJeans informed ADOR of their intention to terminate their exclusive contract. While Hyein’s father initially appeared to support the decision, he later reversed his stance and began legal action against his wife, who supported the termination.
On March 14, 2025, a family court ruling favored Hyein’s mother (B) in the dispute over parental rights, granting her sole authority to act as Hyein’s legal guardian in the case. This decision means that moving forward, Hyein’s mother will be listed as her legal representative in the lawsuit against ADOR.
In response to the ongoing speculation about a rift among the parents, NewJeans’ families issued a statement on April 4, denying the rumors. They clarified that the members of NewJeans, having made a collective decision to part ways with ADOR, are united in their stance. They emphasized that no legal actions would be taken without unanimous agreement from all five members, and that the parents of each member are in complete agreement with the decision.
The families also firmly denied any speculation regarding Haerin’s mother opposing contract termination, asserting that Haerin and her parents are fully aligned in their support for the group’s position. They requested that the public refrain from speculating about family matters, stressing that the parental disputes should not be tied to the ongoing legal battle with ADOR. They concluded by urging that such personal family matters should not be used to fuel malicious rumors related to the group’s legal dispute.
The issue surrounding parental authority highlights the complexities involved in legal guardianship and contract negotiations for minors in the entertainment industry, and the situation remains under scrutiny as the lawsuit against ADOR continues.
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