K-Pop Group NewJeans Faces Court Deadline in ADOR Legal Battle
Seoul court orders NewJeans to refine contract termination claims against ADOR, giving them until March 14 to provide stronger evidence in the ongoing legal dispute.
image for illustrative purpose
The Seoul Central District Court has instructed K-pop girl group NewJeans (NJZ) to submit a revised list of reasons for terminating their contract with ADOR, intensifying the ongoing legal battle between the group and its agency.
The court’s 50th Civil Agreement Division directed NewJeans to present additional evidence supporting their claims by March 14, following arguments presented during the first hearing of ADOR’s injunction request on March 7. ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE, filed the injunction to prevent the group from pursuing independent activities, including brand endorsements, while the contract dispute remains unresolved.
During the hearing, NewJeans submitted a 93-slide PowerPoint detailing allegations of workplace mistreatment, asserting that the agency failed to protect their interests. The members appealed for contract termination, expressing distress over their treatment within the company. Courtroom reports indicate that the group became emotional during their testimony, highlighting the toll of the dispute.
HYBE countered with a 229-slide presentation and a 30-minute rebuttal, asserting that NewJeans’ contracts remain legally binding. ADOR’s legal team argued that the group’s unilateral termination was unjustified and that unauthorized activities could lead to financial and contractual complications.
NewJeans further alleged that HYBE attempted to undermine their achievements, including claims that HYBE’s PR team contacted international media to diminish their Japanese album sales. They also accused the company of prioritizing newer groups such as ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM over them. ADOR refuted these claims, presenting documents and CCTV footage to counter the allegations, including footage purportedly disproving claims of workplace neglect involving NewJeans member Hanni.
The agency contended that former NewJeans CEO Min Hee-jin selectively edited internal documents to misrepresent company decisions. ADOR maintained that HYBE had no plans to phase out NewJeans and dismissed allegations of deliberate suppression.
Following the hearing, the court ordered NewJeans to refine their contract termination arguments and provide further documentation to substantiate their case.
