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on November 12, 2025
On November 12, 2025, ADOR publicly announced that two of the group’s members, Haerin and Hyein, had decided to comply with the court ruling, return to ADOR, and continue activities under the agency.
Shortly thereafter, it was reported that the remaining three members—Minji, Hanni, and Danielle—would also return to ADOR, thereby ending the year-long dispute between the group and the agency.
NewJeans members Hae-rin and Hye-in have decided to return to their agency, ADOR, after initially parting ways. The two members, who were previously aligned with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, have accepted the court's ruling, signaling a potential rift between Min Hee-jin and the five-member group.
Hae-rin and Hye-in's return to ADOR is perceived as a departure from former CEO Min Hee-jin. Min's absence had previously been a major factor in NewJeans' attempt to end their exclusive agreement with ADOR. In the end, they decided to follow the court's ruling and split from Min Hee-jin, returning to ADOR.
The focus now shifts to the other three members as these two rejoin ADOR and continue with their NewJeans activities. Minji is the lone Korean member, while Hani and Danielle are foreign nationals. It's unclear how the return of Hae-rin and Hye-in will affect the other three members. Before the final decision, the court attempted mediation twice in August and September, but neither party was able to reach a mutually agreeable agreement.
The legal dispute began when NewJeans claimed last year that their contract with ADOR had been terminated due to "breach of contract," and they announced plans for independent activities. In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit in December to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract and requested an injunction to prevent the members from pursuing independent activities until the main ruling is made.
The court sided with ADOR, and NewJeans' appeals were dismissed, preventing the members from engaging in independent activities without ADOR's approval until the main ruling is made. Additionally, in May, the court accepted ADOR's request for indirect enforcement, ordering NewJeans to pay 1 billion won per member for each violation if they pursued independent activities.
The main trial focused on the validity of the exclusive contract and the existence of grounds for termination. ADOR argued that "the contract is valid, and the company has diligently supported the artists," at the same time, NewJeans countered that "the trust relationship was completely broken due to the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin."
Posted in: Entertainment