NewJeans leaves ADOR; accuses agency of mistreatment, manipulation
In a shocking turn of events, the popular K-pop girl group NewJeans has terminated its contract with ADOR (a subsidiary of HYBE). The announcement came during an emergency press conference on Thursday (November 28). Despite the sudden shake-up, the band members assured their fans—called Tokkis—that they were not disbanding. They also expressed interest in working with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in the future.
'I faced harassment while working with the label': Hanni
During the press conference, NewJeans member Hanni revealed that the group and their staff experienced "mistreatment," including "deliberate miscommunications and manipulation" on several occasions. She further stated, "I faced harassment while working with the label" and emphasized that "to continue working under a company with no intention of protecting NewJeans would only do us harm." Notably, the exit is expected to spark a major legal battle, as ADOR informed Yonhap that the group's contract is valid until July 31, 2029.
'Will continue our activities...from HYBE and ADOR'
Meanwhile, in the statement released on Friday, the group stated that they will "continue activities independently—free from HYBE and ADOR." "ADOR, as the agency that signed an exclusive contract with us, has a duty to manage us diligently for our benefit. On November 13, 2024, we made a final request to ADOR to rectify their breaches of duty." "The 14-day rectification period has passed, but ADOR refused to make any corrections, and none of the issues we raised were resolved."
NewJeans hinted at a possible reunion with Min
Amid the contract termination news, Danielle, a member of NewJeans, said she was excited to meet fans across the world in 2025. This has sparked speculation about their previously postponed world tour. Despite parting ways with ADOR, the group assured they would continue to make new music and stay together. "Being free means working with people we like. If Min wants the same, we would love to work with her," Danielle said during the press conference.
NewJeans's stance on contract termination fees
NewJeans has also been adamant about not paying contract termination fees. The group argued that they shouldn't be asked to pay the fees since they haven't breached their exclusive contract with ADOR. They promised to fight for their group name, which is integral to their identity. "We didn't violate our exclusive contract so we shouldn't pay the termination fee," the group said in a statement.
Recap: The story so far
NewJeans finds itself at the center of a dispute between executives of parent company HYBE and ADOR's former CEO, who also served as the band's creative director. The controversy, one of South Korea's biggest K-pop scandals this year, involved accusations, audits, and an emotional press conference, and started in April. Min, who resigned on November 20, called her legal battle with HYBE a "hellish dispute" and vowed to hold the company legally accountable for breaching their agreement.
