On August 14, NewJeans members Minji and Danielle appeared at the Seoul Central District Court for a mediation session in their ongoing exclusive contract dispute with ADOR.
The Civil Agreement Division 41 of the Seoul Central District Court held the session as part of ADOR’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of the group’s exclusive contract. The proceeding was conducted behind closed doors, at the court’s request, to address the sensitive nature of the case.
Security was visibly heightened. Bodyguards were deployed, and barricades marked as “restricted access” were placed in front of the courtroom. Minji and Danielle, surrounded by a crowd of reporters, entered without making any statements before heading directly to the closed-door mediation.
If no settlement is reached, the trial—already concluded in terms of arguments—will proceed to a verdict scheduled for October 30.
ADOR said it invested ₩21 billion in NewJeans, accusing producer Min Hee-jin of “poaching” the group and pushing contract termination, citing alleged KakaoTalk messages and petitions.
NewJeans’ side argued trust broke after HYBE took control of ADOR. They also questioned missing CCTV in the “ignore her” incident involving Hanni, asking, “How can the members return to a company that treated them like liars?” While not rejecting a return, they want ADOR restored to its pre-April 2024 state.
The mediation outcome remains pending, with industry eyes fixed on whether the parties will reconcile or face a high-profile court ruling in October.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스