The legal dispute between K-pop group NewJeans (currently known as NJZ) members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein and their agency ADOR is escalating each day. According to Dispatch, the Seoul Central District Court has ordered NewJeans to provide a more detailed and well-substantiated justification for terminating their contract with ADOR.
The court’s 50th Civil Agreement Division has set a deadline of March 14, 2025, for the group to submit concrete evidence supporting their claims.
This directive follows the first hearing of ADOR’s injunction against NewJeans, which took place on March 7, 2025.
During the 125-minute court session, both parties were given 40 minutes each to present their arguments. NewJeans concluded their case in 36 minutes and spent the final four minutes making an emotional appeal to the court, with members reportedly in tears.
ADOR, in contrast, used 30 minutes for rebuttals and 10 minutes for their primary argument.
NewJeans submitted a 93-slide PowerPoint presentation outlining 13 reasons for their contract termination, while ADOR countered with a 229-slide presentation refuting each point.
The case was overseen by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon and was filed by ADOR to “preserve the agency’s stability and prevent NewJeans from signing advertising contracts or engaging in activities outside of ADOR’s control.”
ADOR initially submitted the injunction on January 6, 2025, arguing that its intention was not to restrict the group’s activities but to ensure cooperation and uphold contractual obligations.
One of the key issues discussed in court involved NewJeans member Hanni, who had previously alleged that members of HYBE’s newly debuted group ILLIT were instructed by their manager to ignore her when they crossed paths. The alleged incident occurred in May 2024 at the HYBE Labels building.
ADOR disputed the claim by presenting CCTV footage, which, according to them, showed ILLIT members bowing in greeting. They also revealed text messages exchanged between Hanni and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, in which Min asked Hanni if ILLIT’s manager had specifically instructed the group not to greet her. Hanni responded that she was “not sure,” according to a report from Edaily.
Beyond the contract dispute, NewJeans also claimed that HYBE had attempted to downplay their success, alleging that the company was prioritizing newer groups like ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM at their expense.
As tensions between NewJeans and ADOR continue to mount, the outcome of the legal battle remains uncertain, with further court proceedings expected in the coming weeks.
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