NewJeans, Ador remain locked in high-stakes legal battle over exclusive contract
The legal standoff between K-pop girl group NewJeans and its agency Ador continues to escalate, with both sides presenting conflicting arguments over the validity of the group's exclusive contract.
The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday held the third hearing in Ador's lawsuit seeking to confirm the enforceability of its contract with the five-member group. The NewJeans members, who attempted to terminate their contracts unilaterally in November, were not present in court; only their legal representatives attended.
NewJeans' attorneys attributed the dispute to a now-concluded internal audit of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, which was initiated by parent company Hybe in May 2024. They argued that the audit — and Hybe's subsequent attempt to remove Min — were based on unfounded suspicions. On July 18, police cleared Min of criminal breach of trust allegations filed by Hybe last year; Hybe plans to appeal.
The group's legal team further claimed that Ador failed to meet fundamental management responsibilities, alleging that this breach justified the artists' attempt to sever ties.
Ador rejected the accusations, asserting that the reasons for contract termination have shifted over time and appear to have been constructed by NewJeans and their legal team retroactively.
'This is an unreasonable attempt to invalidate the contracts after the fact,' said a lawyer for Ador.
The agency emphasized its financial investment in NewJeans, citing over 21 billion won ($15.3 million) spent on the group's development and debut. This included 7 billion won for the group's debut album and 2 billion won for music videos.
'Thanks to this support, NewJeans achieved explosive success — something even the court has acknowledged,' Ador's legal representative said.
'Yet despite this, the group attempted to unilaterally cancel its contracts just two years after its debut. Such a move cannot be permitted.'
Ador also claimed that Min was the driving force behind the group's attempted departure.
According to the agency's attorney, private messages exchanged between Min and former Ador executives revealed that she had been planning to 'take' NewJeans as early as three years ago. The messages allegedly outlined strategies for terminating the exclusive contract, including orchestrating plagiarism accusations against another Hybe-affiliated girl group, Illit, and manipulating media narratives.
The agency also alleged that the legal notice to terminate the contract was drafted by Min's legal representatives, further pointing to her involvement.
Responding to accusations of mismanagement, Ador maintained it had upheld its responsibilities and noted that each member had already received over 5 billion won in earnings.
'The agency is still preparing for the group's comeback,' Ador said. 'Our staff are waiting for the day they return.'
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