NewJeans Rejects Settlement as Legal Battle Continues
The ongoing dispute between K-pop group NewJeans and their agency ADOR reached another impasse on June 4, 2025, when the group firmly rejected the court's suggestion for settlement during the second hearing at Seoul Central District Court.
When the 41st civil division asked whether either side wanted to reach a settlement, NewJeans responded through their legal representative: "The relationship of trust has been completely shattered. We have crossed a river and can no longer return." ADOR's lawyers took a different stance, saying they would be open to settlement if the court reached a decision first.
The five members-Minji, Hani, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein-did not attend the hearing, represented only by their legal team.
NewJeans' lawyers argued that ADOR failed to fulfill its essential management duties after "driving out Min Hee Jin" and undergoing "abrupt changes in management." They claimed the evidence presented by ADOR was insufficient, particularly regarding the agency's meetings with potential replacement producers.
ADOR countered that NewJeans "changes up the reason for why they decided to terminate their exclusive contracts" at every hearing, suggesting they "came to the decision to terminate their contracts first, and are now trying to find some reason to validate their actions."
The court questioned both sides' evidence handling, telling ADOR that presenting evidence was "something the plaintiff should handle themselves." The judge also inquired about specific details of ADOR's board decisions and protective measures for the artists.
Regarding the controversial KakaoTalk evidence from the separate Source Music lawsuit, the court noted that even if documents were provided, ADOR would need to select and submit relevant portions as evidence.
ADOR has paid approximately 12 billion KRW ($8.2 million) to NewJeans since October 2023, despite the contract termination attempt, and previously disclosed that HYBE invested 30 billion KRW ($20 million) total to support NewJeans' debut.
The group currently faces a court injunction prohibiting independent activities, with violations carrying a penalty of 1 billion KRW (approximately $735,000) per member.
NewJeans has assembled 13 lawyers from major law firm Shin & Kim, while ADOR has 12 lawyers from Korea's largest firm, Kim & Chang, highlighting the case's significance.
The third hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2025, where both sides will present their cases. The court will allocate one hour for presentations from both parties.
The dispute began in November 2024 when NewJeans announced their contract termination, citing trust breakdown following Min Hee-jin's removal as ADOR CEO. The case has become a landmark legal battle that could reshape artist-agency relationships in the K-pop industry.
