NewJeans ador hybe drama

Photo Credit: TV10 / CC by 3.0

NewJeans still refuses to work for ADOR/Hybe, with mediation falling apart. The K-pop group’s fate is to be decided in a court ruling next month.

The Seoul Central District Court held a second closed-door mediation session yesterday (September 11) in the ongoing legal battle between Hybe imprint ADOR and K-pop girl group NewJeans. But the discussions lasted only 20 minutes before breaking down. Unlike the previous session, which featured NewJeans members Danielle and Minji, none of the group attended the second session.

Now with two failed mediation attempts, the court will issue a ruling on October 30 to decide NewJeans’ fate, and whether the group has grounds to end its contract with ADOR.

Last November, NewJeans declared its contract invalid and accused ADOR of breaching its obligations. As a result, the group pursued NewJeans-related activities independently of the label. But ADOR countered with a lawsuit claiming the contract’s continued validity, and secured a court injunction preventing NewJeans from working without label approval.

In August last year, ADOR-parent Hybe removed its former CEO, Min Hee-jin, the creative director responsible for NewJeans’ global success, after allegations that she tried to seize control of the label. NewJeans even demanded that Hybe reinstate Min during a livestream that has since gone viral.

NewJeans contends that the removal of Min Hee-jin has altered the agency with which they originally signed. They have therefore lost confidence in the company after almost 18 months of legal turmoil, and assert that a return to ADOR is untenable.

ADOR says it has invested more than $15 million in the group, claiming it provided opportunities and financial settlements and rejecting assertions of broken trust.

NewJeans has not released any new music since May 2024, due to a court injunction that prevents them from working without ADOR’s explicit approval. Unauthorized performances would carry hefty financial penalties for the group’s members.