NewJeans ordered to resubmit contract termination reasons as ADOR-HYBE legal battle intensifies

The Seoul Central District Court has ordered NewJeans (NJZ) to revise and resubmit their list of reasons for terminating their contract with ADOR, as the high-profile legal dispute between the K-pop girl group and their agency continues.

According to a report by Dispatch, the court’s 50th Civil Agreement Division instructed the group to provide more concrete reasons and supporting evidence before March 14, 2025.

The legal battle took center stage during the first hearing of ADOR’s injunction against NewJeans on March 7, where both sides presented their arguments. ADOR, a subsidiary label of HYBE, had filed for the injunction to prevent the members from engaging in independent activities, including signing brand endorsement deals, while the lawsuit over their contract dispute is ongoing.
During the hearing, NewJeans submitted a 93-slide PowerPoint presentation outlining their grievances, including allegations of workplace harassment and mistreatment within ADOR. The group emotionally pleaded with the court to release them from their contract, stating they felt unprotected and disrespected by company executives. The members reportedly became tearful in the final minutes of their testimony, expressing the emotional toll the conflict had taken on them.
HYBE countered with a 229-slide presentation, delivered in just 10 minutes, followed by a 30-minute rebuttal of NewJeans' claims. ADOR’s legal team argued that the contracts with the girl group remain valid and that their unilateral termination was unjustified. They emphasized that any independent activities by the members could cause confusion and financial harm to third parties, warranting the injunction.
NewJeans further alleged that HYBE attempted to downplay their success, citing instances where HYBE’s PR team reportedly contacted foreign media to diminish their Japanese album sales. The girl group claimed that HYBE was positioning newer groups like ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM to replace them, an allegation that ADOR refuted.
ADOR presented documents to counter the group's claims, including CCTV footage purportedly disproving an incident where a NewJeans member, Hanni, was ignored by ILLIT members in the company’s corridors. ADOR’s legal team also dismissed accusations that HYBE had plans to drop NewJeans, attributing the claim to a misinterpreted internal document from a former Weverse executive. The agency contended that NewJeans' former CEO, Min Hee-jin, selectively edited company documents to mislead the court.
After the hearing, the court directed NewJeans to restructure their list of contract termination reasons and provide stronger evidence against ADOR before March 14.