NewJeans court loss locks group under HYBE control
A Seoul court has upheld the contract binding K-pop group NewJeans to ADOR, the HYBE subsidiary serving as their label, rejecting arguments that the company failed to meet its obligations.
The Seoul Central District Court determined on Thursday, Oct. 30, that removing former chief executive Min Hee-jin did not violate the April 2022 agreement. NewJeans had declared the contract void last November and tried performing as NJZ, but courts blocked those efforts. The group contended that dismissing Min in August 2024 eliminated essential leadership and undermined their professional relationship. Judges disagreed, stating that her departure alone did not create operational failures or prevent ADOR from meeting its duties. The court added that the members’ confidence in Min did not guarantee her executive role as a contractual requirement.
ADOR offered Min a modified agreement and requested that she continue producing for the act after her removal. She declined and stepped down from her internal director position. The ruling also imposed financial penalties of 1 billion won per member for each unauthorized activity. ADOR expressed hope the decision would prompt reflection and said preparations for album releases remain complete.
