A Seoul court has ruled in favor of NewJeans in a sexual harassment case against a YouTuber, ordering the offender to pay 30 million won, about $21,600, in damages. The Seoul Western District Court’s decision on June 25, 20205 awarded compensation to each of the five members, with Haerin and Hyejin receiving 7 million won each, and Minji, Hanni, and Danielle each given 5 million won. The ruling became final on July 22, 2025, after the defendant, surnamed Shin, chose not to appeal.
Shin had uploaded over 20 YouTube videos in 2024, making sexual remarks about the group and alluding to explicit acts. Some comments also targeted underage members, prompting ADOR, the group’s, to file criminal charges in June 2024. Initially, ADOR demanded 20 million won in damages for each member, totaling 1 billion won. This case unfolded while NewJeans was already in the middle of a tense legal battle with ADOR, which has kept the group on hiatus since late 2024.
NewJeans wins sexual harrassment case against YouTuber who harassed the group through edited videos and malicious comments.
The court ordered ‘Shin’ to pay 5 million won each to Minji, Hanni, and Danielle, and 7 million won each to Haerin and Hyein.https://t.co/hFQlqhelGj pic.twitter.com/KZtxy8dVzl
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) August 11, 2025
The legal feud escalated after NewJeans terminated their exclusive contract with ADOR in November 2024. The agency responded with lawsuits and injunctions to block the group from going independent and releasing music. The most recent development came in July 25, 2025, when NewJeans said they would consider staying with the agency but only if their former CEO, Min Hee Jin, returned to the company after being removed. But ADOR has long disagreed, saying that internal management decisions are not a valid reason to end a contract. A closed-door mediation is set for August 14, 2025. If both sides can reach a compromise, they might avoid a court ruling.