ADOR presents CCTV footage in court showing ILLIT greeting NJZ’s Hanni, challenging ‘Ignore’ claims during the first hearing

The legal battle between ADOR and NewJeans (now NJZ) took a new turn during the first court hearing on March 7, 2025, at the Seoul Central District Court.

According to Chosun Biz, ADOR presented CCTV footage to challenge Hanni’s claim about a May 27, 2024, incident. NJZ had accused ILLIT’s manager of instructing members to ignore Hanni at HYBE’s building, calling it workplace bullying. They also claimed HYBE deleted key CCTV footage.

However, during the hearing, ADOR presented CCTV footage showing three ILLIT members bowing at a 90-degree angle to Hanni and Danielle as they passed by in the hallway.

The video was used to contradict the accusations, with ADOR claiming that there was no deliberate attempt to exclude or ignore Hanni. However, since the footage lacked audio, it could not confirm whether the alleged instruction to “ignore” was ever given.

To further support its argument, ADOR also released a KakaoTalk conversation between Hanni and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. In the exchange, Hanni reportedly mentioned overhearing a manager saying something along the lines of "just pass by" but admitted she was unsure of the exact wording. ADOR’s legal team argued that Min Hee-jin had allegedly exaggerated this situation to support the group's case for terminating their contracts.

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NJZ’s ongoing legal battle with ADOR and more from the first hearing

Despite ADOR’s rebuttal, NJZ’s representatives maintained that the footage did not disprove their claims. They pointed out that ADOR had only provided video evidence of one encounter, while Hanni had previously stated that she was allegedly ignored in a second instance.

The greeting controversy is just one aspect of the larger legal battle between NJZ and ADOR. The dispute began in November 2023 when NJZ officially notified ADOR of their decision to terminate their exclusive contracts, citing a loss of trust in the company.

The group has since rebranded as NJZ and begun independent activities, while ADOR has been fighting to enforce its contract, which is set to last until July 31, 2029.

During the hearing, ADOR’s legal team argued that the contract remained legally binding and that their reasons for terminating it were insufficient. They emphasized HYBE’s significant financial investment in NJZ, stating that the company had spent 21 billion won (USD 15 million) on their debut and promotions.

ADOR also highlighted NJZ’s past benefits from being associated with HYBE, including promotional opportunities with BTS and large-scale marketing campaigns.

The group's legal team countered by detailing the alleged mistreatment the group faced. They accused HYBE of treating them unfairly, particularly in favor of ILLIT, which they claimed was intentionally positioned as a replacement for the group.

The members also alleged that they had been excluded from opportunities, lost brand deals, and faced biased media coverage due to internal conflicts between ADOR and HYBE.

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As the hearing came to a close, the members expressed strong opposition to returning to ADOR. The court has ordered both parties to submit additional evidence by March 14 as the dispute continues.