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On March 7, representatives from ADOR and NJZ (NewJeans), including members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, attended a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. The session focused on ADOR’s injunction request filed in January.
During the proceedings, legal representatives from both sides presented their arguments before the court’s 50th civil division. However, the dispute took a new turn when the girl group member Hanni took to Instagram following the hearing.
She calls out ADOR and HYBE over alleged misrepresentation of her past messages in court. Expressing frustration, she stated:
“I remember everything clearly. I wanted to say it in court earlier but I held it in. how can u take one part of a conversation and shift the meaning of it to benefit your point if view when I was the one that wrote that message. whilst you present yourself as company that wants the best for us. Please stop bothering me, ADOR and HYBE.”
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She followed up with another message, adding:
“I have a lot to say but i've been holding back simply because i don't see the need to have to escalate this issue any bigger than it already is. but if you think u have the audacity to make even more false assumptions about us than you already have..... than i won't stay quiet”
Fans quickly rallied behind Hanni, with many praising her for speaking up. Social media erupted with reactions. Many praised Hanni for taking a stand, with one fan writing:
"oh, she clocked them and told them to leave her alone in one breath."
"I’m so sorry that they’re doing this to you Hanni, you don’t deserve this at all and I will always believe in you" Wrote this netizen.
"Hanni speaks out against ADOR, calling them out for twisting her words in court. Tensions between NJZ and the company keep escalating." said one fan.
"let’s remember how it’s literally documented by the korean court system that hybe likes to fabricate texts " mentioned an X user.
Fans flooded social media with reactions, expressing support for the group member while criticizing ADOR and HYBE.
"NJZ and hanni's fight is and will always be against HYBE and ADOR. the company and label who want to take away their rights to persue a career in music independently, who mistreated and spread negative mediaplay against njz." posted another fan.
"if they can push out numerous articles of pure defamation with the intent to push their own narrative then the girls have the right to speak up and reveal even more" said one individual on X.
"The girls rarely use their own IG to announce their stances (it’s usually through lawyers or njz_pr) so she must’ve felt so frustrated. Hannii" wrote one netizen.
However, some felt that Hanni’s statements would have been more impactful if presented in court rather than shared on Instagram. They argued that addressing these concerns during the hearing could have strengthened NJZ’s position in the legal dispute.
"The point of court is to dispute claims made by opposing counsel with your own evidence… why would you “hold it in” and not show the actual messages if you believe they are lying LMAO" mentioned one person on X.
"Hanni dear you were in court, a place where you could of proven your innocence legally but you decided to stay quiet but crashing out on insta story? for what? You were PROVEN LYING after the CCTV of Illit members greeted you was shown on court. you are the two-faced bull-y." added this individual on X.
ADOR and NJZ present arguments in court over management dispute
On March 7 KST, ADOR, which filed the injunction in January, seeks confirmation of its authority as NJZ’s management label. They also asked for an injunction, preventing the members from signing independent advertisement contracts.
During the session, ADOR’s representatives emphasized the company’s role in NJZ's (NewJeans) success. They argued that the group’s achievements were not solely due to the members' talent and effort but also the contributions of ADOR’s team. This included stylists, choreographers, music and video producers, and managers.
They highlighted that HYBE invested 21 billion KRW into ADOR, with 10 billion KRW allocated to the group’s debut promotions. This included launching a fan platform dedicated to NewJeans.
Additionally, ADOR claimed that NewJeans benefited from HYBE’s brand power, such as pre-debut exposure in a BTS music video and collaborations with other HYBE artists through promotional challenges.
They also pointed out that NewJeans was introduced as BTS’ “younger sibling group” at the request of ADOR’s CEO, Min Hee-jin.
Regarding NJZ’s attempt to terminate their contracts, ADOR’s legal team argued that the members had not presented legally valid reasons. They stated that common grounds for contract termination, such as financial disputes or promotional restrictions, were not cited.
Instead, ADOR claimed NJZ was basing its case on personal grievances, specifically alleging that “HYBE does not like us.”
On the other hand, NJZ’s representatives countered by detailing the challenges the group faced due to HYBE’s actions. They cited issues such as biased media coverage, conflicts with the video production team Dolphiners Films, and allegations of plagiarism involving ILLIT.
According to NJZ’s side, these incidents created an unfair environment for the members, distinguishing their treatment from that of other HYBE artists.
Furthermore, the girl group’s legal team argued that discrimination existed even before their debut. They stated that Min Hee-jin was originally promised NewJeans would debut as “HYBE’s first girl group.” However, the debut was delayed, and LE SSERAFIM, another HYBE group, debuted first.
As both sides presented their arguments, the case continues to draw significant attention within the entertainment industry. With public interest intensifying, fans are closely watching for developments and anticipating the next steps for their beloved group.
