South Korean girl group NewJeans is back in the limelight once again~ The band, which had made its debut in 2022, has been in constant limelight, be it for their controversies with agency ADOR, their music. In a new turn of events, during the hearing at Seoul Central District Court, NewJeans is reportedly considering returning to their agency.
Why is NewJeans considering rejoining ADOR? Fans react
According to reports, NewJeans’ legal team’s statement grabbed everyone’s attention. They said, “It’s not that [the members] refuse to return to ADOR. If ADOR can be returned to how it was before the audit in April 2024, [they] would be willing to go back. But if that’s not possible, then we hope they will let [the members] go by terminating the contract”.
They further stated, “This legal fight began because HYBE launched an audit against Min Hee Jin in April 2024. They claimed she was trying to seize management control and ‘take’ NewJeans, but there was no evidence in the audit or grounds for dismissal. The main issue was an alleged breach of duty, and in the midst of it all, NewJeans suffered the most. Police later found no evidence of Min Hee Jin committing a breach of duty. The audit and dismissal attempts were based on false premises and intended to remove Min Hee Jin”.
What was the controversy of NewJeans and ADOR all about?
On 28 November last year, the five members of NewJeans held an urgent press conference, alleging that ADOR had violated its obligations under their exclusive contract. Following this, they began independent activities despite their ongoing dispute with the agency.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favour of ADOR’s request for a provisional injunction against NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. The ruling emphasised the protection of agency status and the prohibition of independent advertising contracts, effectively restricting the group from engaging in activities outside of ADOR’s management.
The group is composed of five members: Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. Mainly produced by Min Hee-jin, they are known for their girl-next-door image and musical stylings reminiscent of the 1990s and 2000s.