NewJeans Faces Setback in Legal Battle Against Ador Agency

Sun Nov 30 2025 23:15:30 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The popular K-pop group NewJeans lost a court case to exit their contract with record label Ador, leading to plans for an appeal.

K-pop sensation NewJeans has suffered a legal setback as the Seoul Central District Court ruled their contract with Ador remains valid until 2029. Despite the group's claims of mistreatment and a desire to leave the label, they must appeal the ruling. The decision follows a year of escalating tensions between the group, its former CEO Min Hee-jin, and the agency that has tightly controlled their career. NewJeans expressed their inability to continue with Ador after the ruling, intensifying the ongoing conflict.

K-pop group NewJeans has lost a legal battle to leave its record label Ador.

A South Korean court on Tuesday ruled that the act's contract with the label, which runs until 2029, remains valid.

The group's five members - Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, Danielle, and Minji - announced last year that they were unilaterally leaving the agency, citing mistreatment and manipulation.

The group has said it will appeal the ruling, according to local media reports.

NewJeans said it is impossible to return to Ador and continue their activities as normal, the reports said.

The Seoul Central District Court rejected NewJeans' argument that the dismissal of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, who was also the group's mentor, constituted a breach of contract. NewJeans alleged that her dismissal broke their trust with the agency.

In a statement released after the ruling, Ador said it sincerely hopes that the judgment will serve as an opportunity for the artists to calmly reflect on this matter. The label added that they are ready for the members' upcoming activities, including the release of an album, and are now waiting.

The case has stunned South Korea, where record labels wield large amounts of power and tightly control their stars. It is highly unusual for artists to rebel against them.

Formed in July 2022, NewJeans, whose members are aged 17 to 21, enjoyed rapid success before their dramatic fallout with the agency. Their first single Attention topped Korean charts right after their debut, while their hit song SuperShy made multiple best of the year lists at the end of 2023, including those compiled by Rolling Stone, NME, and Billboard Magazine.

Critics had called them a game-changer as their blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies broke through a K-pop scene dominated by electronic beats.

Tuesday's ruling follows a year-long standoff between the chart-topping group and its agency. The group's announcement to split from Ador, made in November last year during a press conference, came after a long and public spat between Min Hee-jin, and Ador, as well as its parent company, Hybe - South Korea's biggest music label, whose client list includes K-pop royalty such as BTS and Seventeen.

Tensions between Min and Hybe began when Hybe launched audits into Ador, managed by Min, while calling for her dismissal. Min rejected Hybe's allegations that she plotted to go independent. In August, she was removed as CEO of Ador.

After her dismissal, the band issued an ultimatum for Min's reinstatement, and when Hybe refused, the members went public with complaints against the label, including claims it had undermined their careers.

Amid ongoing disputes, the group attempted to rebrand themselves as NJZ in February, planning to release new music, but promotion was halted by a court order. In December, Ador had filed a lawsuit to confirm the validity of their contract with the group.

Despite having faced a legal setback, the group's members expressed determination to endure together through the challenging circumstances.