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On December 6, South Korean girl group NewJeans' members Minzy, Hani, Daniel, Haerin, and Hyein issued a statement addressing the ongoing legal dispute with ADOR and HYBE.
They expressed regret over releasing a statement during such confusion. They were responding to news that ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation that their exclusive contracts remained valid. They clarified that ADOR had only repeated its claim that the contracts couldn't be terminated until the company's investments were recovered. However, NewJeans claimed that they had already returned profits exceeding the investment.
NewJeans accused HYBE of attempting to lower their value through slander and claimed ADOR had supported this effort after a management change.
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In the statement released to South Korean media on December 6, the members stated,
“Hello, this is Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. We apologize for releasing this statement amid such chaotic times. We recently were informed that ADOR filed a lawsuit against us to confirm the validity of our exclusive contract. In the statement, they did not properly reveal that there was no breach of the exclusive contract. They only repeated the claims that because there was the company’s support and investment, the contract could not be terminated until they were recovered. However, we have already returned the profits that exceeded the investments to ADOR and HYBE. Despite this, HYBE attempted to slander and lower our value, with ADOR assisting them after the change in management. This is no different than saying the company that should be protecting us was creating malicious comments. Seeing this as a break of trust, we have concluded that it is highly likely we will suffer more damage in the future.”
They explained that trust in both companies had collapsed, citing their failure to fulfill contractual obligations.
“Our trust in ADOR and HYBE has already collapsed. They have failed to properly fulfill their obligation to protect the artists and have repeatedly violated the terms of the contract. As stated in the contract, we no longer have any reason to work with ADOR and HYBE. The contract clearly states that if ADOR fails to fulfill its obligations, we can terminate the contract. Despite the breach of trust, forcing us to work for another five years is not only unreasonable but also inhumane.”
Despite giving ADOR a 14-day grace period to address the issues, NewJeans announced the termination of the contract, which took effect immediately. They clarified,
"Although we gave ADOR a 14-day grace period to correct the breach of contract, they failed to accept our request. With this, we notified them of the termination of the contract following the exclusive contract, effective immediately. ADOR has filed a lawsuit to seek judgment on the legality of the issue, but this is just a procedure to receive confirmation. We find it very unfortunate that they released a statement misleading the public into thinking the contract is still valid. Again, we want to make it clear that we are no longer affiliated with ADOR as of November 29, 2024. ADOR cannot interfere with any of our activities."
The group criticized the public narrative from ADOR, accusing the company of pretending to seek reconciliation while engaging in slander and false reporting. Despite the challenges, they assured fans that they were united.
"After reading the articles about how they were trying to reconcile with us on the outside while stalking and slandering us, we could not help but feel fear and disgust. No matter how much they try to cause an issue, the five of us are united, and no one can separate us. We faithfully carry out our remaining schedules with ADOR as promised immediately after terminating our contract. However, we saw that the managers and producers helping with our schedules were harassed and had their laptops taken away by ADOR and HYBE. We find this behavior toward the staff difficult to accept and find it painful that the damages caused by this inhumane company are not limited to us. "
The group emphasized their commitment to moving forward with their music career, despite the difficulties ahead. They thanked their fans for their support and expressed hope that the details of the contract dispute would be revealed during the trial.
“Although the road ahead may not be easy, we dream of living with our fans who love us with healthy music activities. And we want to achieve that dream. Even after HYBE’s problems were revealed many times, ADOR did not correct them even after the CEO was replaced. Aside from not protecting us, they also did not demand improvement from other labels that damaged the company’s reputation and spread false information. We find it very unfortunate that ADOR consistently made excuses and filed a lawsuit. We hope that the trial will reveal the process that led to the termination of the contract and ADOR’s breach of contract. We want to be courageous and healthy people. We sincerely thank everyone who has supported us thus far, and we ask for your continuous support for the five of us. Thank you.”
ADOR files lawsuit to contest NewJeans' contract termination
On December 5, ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with NewJeans. This followed the group’s departure on November 29, after claiming ADOR failed to meet demands during a 14-day grace period.
NewJeans had announced their termination on November 28, citing a loss of trust and the resignation of former CEO Min Hee-jin as major factors. Min stepped down on November 20, accusing HYBE of undermining her authority and mishandling internal disputes, including concept plagiarism claims involving BELIFT LAB.
ADOR denied the termination’s validity, stating the contracts remain in effect. It urged NewJeans to reconsider and warned that using the group name outside the company would breach trademark rights. ADOR expressed regret over the situation and reaffirmed its willingness to resolve the matter through dialogue.
The legal dispute between ADOR and NewJeans centers on the validity of the group’s exclusive contracts and the use of their trademarked name. With ADOR pursuing legal action and NewJeans standing by their termination claims, the court's decision will determine the outcome of this conflict.
