The Seoul Central District Court has ruled against chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans, ordering them to cease all independent activities after they attempted to cut ties with their record label Ador.
The court’s decision on 31 Mar 2025 affirmed that the band—who had renamed themselves NJZ—must not conduct any independent activities, from making music to signing advertising deals, acknowledging Ador’s continued status as the group’s legal agency.
Here’s what happened.
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Legal Battle Erupts Between K-Pop Stars and Management Company
Ador filed an injunction against the girl group in January this year after the members began organizing their own appearances and performances.
The label claimed such independent activities could “destabilize” the South Korean music sector and sought to stop them from signing brand deals without consent.
The court stated that NewJeans’ claims did not “sufficiently prove that Ador violated their significant duty as part of their contract,” adding that the music label had upheld “most of its duty including payment.”
“If [NewJeans] unilaterally terminate the contract, Ador would suffer greatly. And if [NewJeans] begins activity under a new name, it could severely damage not only the brand of NewJeans but the reputation of Ador,” the court’s statement reads.
The ruling creates doubt about the release of the group’s new song, which was slated for Sunday. It also means they face significant hurdles in re-debuting under their new name without facing severe financial penalties for breach of contract.
Following the decision, Ador released an official statement saying they will fulfill their responsibilities in supporting the artists going forward.
They added plans to “provide full on-site support” to ensure the ComplexCon Hong Kong festival performance proceeds under the name of NewJeans, represented by Ador.
“Ador sincerely hopes to meet with the artists soon and have an honest conversation,” the label said.
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A lawsuit regarding the validity of the contract termination is still underway.
Dispute Origins Trace Back to Management Changes and Mistreatment Claims
Lest you’re not aware, the conflict between NewJeans and Ador began in August 2024, when Hybe, the parent company of Ador, allegedly forced out the group’s mentor, Min Hee-jin.
The band issued an ultimatum demanding Min be restored. When Hybe refused, they went public with multiple complaints against the label, including claims it had deliberately undermined their careers.
In September 2024, NewJeans—comprising members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—accused Ador of bullying, harassment and subterfuge. One member, Hanni, specifically alleged workplace harassment during her time with the label.
By November, the group announced their departure from the company at a press conference, stating Hybe and Ador had lost the right to represent them as artists. They formally asked for their contracts to be terminated two months after their initial accusations.
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Since then, the members have avoided introducing themselves as NewJeans, opting to introduce themselves individually instead. Late last month, they announced a two-day contest for fans “to come up with a new activity name” for them, which resulted in the name NJZ.
The five members also created a new Instagram account under the name “jeanzforfree” and stated they would fight to keep their name and career, remaining “NewJeans at heart” even if they lost the legal battle against Ador.
Ador consistently denied all allegations and insisted that the group’s contract “cannot be unilaterally terminated.”
NewJeans has been one of K-pop’s most successful recent acts. In 2023, they ranked as the eighth biggest-selling act worldwide, and last year, they received a nomination for best group at the MTV Awards.
Group Contests Court Decision and Vows to Challenge Ruling
The members released an official statement following the court ruling, announcing their plans to contest the decision.
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“We, NJZ, respect the court’s decision. However, we believe that the decision did not sufficiently take into account the fact that the members’ trust in Ador has been completely destroyed,” they said.
“Regarding today’s provisional injunction decision, we plan to dispute additional issues through the objection process, and in that process, we will supplement the explanatory materials as much as possible and contest the decision,” they added.
The group argued they did not have sufficient opportunity to fully present their case to the court.
“We plan to challenge today’s decision… during which we will raise additional legal issues and submit further supporting evidence,” they stated just hours after the ruling.
“Above all, until the point of terminating the exclusive contract, the members faithfully fulfilled the contract and did not commit any fault, while Ador and Hybe, which stands behind it, continuously treated the members unfairly and discriminatively, destroying trust. We believe that it is only a matter of time before the truth becomes clear.”
The group further asserted, “Regardless… we can no longer remain with a management that has disrespected our identities and undermined our achievements.”
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