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On April 16, 2025, a South Korean media outlet, Maeil Kyungjae, reported that NewJeans had filed an immediate appeal. This came after the Seoul Central District Court dismissed their objection to an injunction preventing the group from promoting independently of their agency, ADOR.
The 50th Civil Agreement Division, led by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, upheld the court’s earlier decision, stating that the injunction was justified and reinforced ADOR’s exclusive management status. Just hours after the dismissal, NewJeans’ legal team submitted their appeal, setting the stage for a second trial.
The court's decision prohibits the members from entering into advertising contracts or carrying out activities under a new name without ADOR’s consent. This marked a significant setback for the group, which had been embroiled in a legal standoff with its label for several months.
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Although the appeal is now in motion, NewJeans must still adhere to the existing injunction until the main lawsuit determines the validity of their contract termination. This legal dispute has put NewJeans on an indefinite hiatus. Since the injunction was first issued on March 21, the five members—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—have been unable to proceed with activities as NJZ.
NJZ was a temporary name they adopted after announcing their departure from ADOR last year. Despite facing increasing legal challenges, the group has stayed in close contact with fans through personal updates and Instagram posts, including a heartfelt message shared on their 1,000th day since debut, just one day before the latest ruling.
Appeal marks NewJeans' next chapter in months-long legal standoff: Here’s how the dispute unfolded
The dispute between NewJeans and ADOR began in August 2024 when former CEO Min Hee-jin was removed from her position. The members credited the former CEO as the visionary behind the group’s success, which sparked internal unrest. By November, the group held an emergency press conference to declare that their trust in the agency had been broken.
The members claimed that ADOR had failed in its duty to protect them and formally terminated their exclusive contracts on November 29.
In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit to confirm the contract’s validity. It argued that trust alone was insufficient grounds for termination. The label also submitted a court injunction in January 2025 to prevent the members from continuing their NJZ activities, which included a new song and an appearance at ComplexCon in Hong Kong.
The court sided with ADOR in March, resulting in the group announcing a temporary hiatus during their performance on March 23. At ComplexCon, the members declared a hiatus, stating,
"It feels heavy to deliver this news. Today's performance might be our last one for a while. Out of respect for the court's decision, we have decided to pause all activities for the time being. It wasn't an easy decision, but we believe it's necessary at this moment."
Despite showing public respect for the court’s ruling, NewJeans filed an objection to the injunction shortly after. It was reviewed and dismissed on April 16. Their swift appeal now moves the battle to a second legal stage, where more thorough arguments and evidence will be presented.
The next hearing in the main lawsuit is scheduled for June 5, 2025. Until then, the group’s future activities remain legally restricted.
