A legal ruling has been issued regarding the ongoing dispute between K-pop group NewJeans and their agency, ADOR, over their exclusive contract.
On March 21, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 50 (Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon) fully accepted ADOR’s request for an injunction to maintain its agency status and prohibit NewJeans from signing advertisement contracts or carrying out independent entertainment activities.
As a result, ADOR has been temporarily recognized as holding management rights under the exclusive contract with NewJeans.
Conversely, the members of NewJeans are now legally restricted from engaging in entertainment activities without ADOR’s prior approval or consent. This decision halts the group’s previously self-initiated steps toward independent promotions, which they had pursued based on their claim that the contract had already been terminated.
Why Did the Court Rule in Favor of ADOR?
The court rejected NewJeans’ argument that grounds for termination of the contract had been established. In its decision, the court stated: “It is difficult to conclude that the mutual trust which underpins the exclusive contract has been irreparably broken based on the evidence presented.”
Regarding the claims and documents submitted by NewJeans, the court further stated:
“The materials submitted so far are insufficient to prove that ADOR violated significant contractual obligations. The argument alone does not establish that ADOR has breached key duties or that the trust relationship has completely collapsed.”
The court also dismissed NewJeans’ claim that ADOR’s refusal to reinstate former CEO Min Hee-jin constituted grounds for termination, noting:
“ADOR has sufficient capability to appoint a different producer, and the return of Min Hee-jin cannot be seen as a contractual requirement.”
“ADOR Has Fulfilled Most of Its Contractual Duties”
Additionally, the court emphasized:
“ADOR has fulfilled most of its major obligations under the contract, including financial settlements. It appears that ADOR was also prevented from fulfilling its duties due to NewJeans’ unilateral contract termination.”
The court also addressed two hot-button issues that stirred controversy in the K-pop industry — the “ditch NewJeans” phrase in HYBE’s music industry report, and allegations that HYBE’s new girl group ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans.
Regarding the internal HYBE report, the court noted:
“The document contained various suggestions aimed at ensuring NewJeans’ success, and the phrase in question does not indicate HYBE’s intention to abandon the group.”
As for the plagiarism allegations, the court ruled:
“It is difficult to conclude that ILLIT’s concept plagiarized NewJeans. Furthermore, the concept of NewJeans is ambiguous as an intellectual property right.”
On the matter of “album dumping,” where a HYBE staff member reportedly requested revisions to NewJeans’ sales numbers, the court stated:
“This appears to be a correction of factual information affecting stock prices rather than an attempt to defame or undermine NewJeans.”
Mixed Reactions from Both Sides
The reactions from both sides to the ruling have been starkly different. ADOR issued a statement saying:
“We deeply appreciate the court’s wise judgment. Having legally confirmed our status as NewJeans’ agency, we will fulfill our responsibilities to support the artists.”
Regarding the upcoming ComplexCon performance in Hong Kong this weekend, ADOR stated:
“The show will proceed under the name of NewJeans from ADOR, and we will provide full on-site support.” They added, “We hope to meet the artists soon for an honest conversation.”
Meanwhile, the NewJeans members, whose arguments were not accepted by the court, also released a statement:
“We respect the court’s decision, but we believe it failed to fully consider the complete breakdown of trust between the members and ADOR.”
They continued:
“We plan to contest the ruling through the objection process and will supplement our claims with additional evidence. The main lawsuit regarding the validity of the exclusive contract is ongoing, and during the hearing scheduled for April 3, we will once again prove that the contract was lawfully terminated.”
Although the main trial is still pending, precedent from similar cases involving past K-pop groups like SECRET and LOONA suggests that a party who succeeds in securing a favorable injunction often gains an advantage in the main lawsuit. Thus, industry insiders suggest that this ruling could limit NewJeans’ ability to act freely moving forward.
The court’s refusal to recognize most of the termination grounds cited by NewJeans weakens their position in the main trial and strengthens ADOR’s legal footing.
If NewJeans continues to engage in activities outside of ADOR’s control in defiance of the injunction, they could face additional legal risks, including civil lawsuits for damages. This puts significant pressure on the group to pause or modify their independent efforts for the time being.
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