NewJeans’ Minji and Danielle attend mediation session with agency ADOR

 
Members Minji and Danielle of K-pop girl group NewJeans arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Thursday for a mediation session aimed at resolving a dispute with their agency, ADOR, over whether the group can terminate its exclusive contracts.
 
The court scheduled the mediation session for 2 p.m. in the lawsuit filed by ADOR seeking confirmation that its exclusive contracts with the group’s five members remain valid. The proceedings were held behind closed doors.
 
 
The two members appeared at the court building at around 1:40 p.m. Danielle was clad in a black outfit with a white shirt, and Minji donned a light-colored striped shirt, both with their hair down. 
 
The two declined to answer questions from reporters who asked whether they thought they could resolve the matter with ADOR and said, “We are sorry,” before heading to court. 
 

NewJeans member Danielle, center left, and Minji appear at Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Aug. 14. [YONHAP]

 
The dispute centers on whether the members can terminate their exclusive contracts.
 
ADOR maintains that its contracts with the members are still valid and that there are no grounds for termination.
 
NewJeans argues that the removal of ADOR CEO Min Hee-Jin has “destroyed the relationship of trust,” and therefore gave them reason to end the contracts. 
 

NewJeans member Danielle, center, appears at Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Aug. 14. [NEWS1]

 
In November last year, the five members of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — declared their intent to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR. Amid an ongoing months-long legal dispute, the Seoul High Court’s ban preventing the members from pursuing solo activities was finalized in June.
 
If the mediation fails, the court plans to deliver its ruling on Oct. 30.

BY YONHAP, PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]