The high-profile legal battle between NewJeans and their agency ADOR reached a pivotal stage today ( August 14 ) as both parties entered closed-door court mediation in an attempt to resolve their exclusive contract dispute .
The session, held at the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Agreement Division 41 under Presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il , concerns ADOR’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of its contracts with all five NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein .
At the third hearing on July 24 , the court noted the stalemate between the sides and arranged today’s mediation. Judge Jeong ordered both parties to bring representatives with actual decision-making authority and suggested that at least one member of the group be present. Each side was instructed to prepare proposals for resolving the dispute.
If successful, the mediation will carry the same legal weight as a formal court settlement. However, the court has also set October 30 as a tentative ruling date should the negotiations fail.
The closed nature of the talks means details of the proposals and discussions remain unknown, but industry observers are watching closely as the outcome could significantly impact the future of one of K-pop’s most prominent fourth-generation girl groups.
Sources: Daum