NewJeans All Five Members Return to ADOR After Court Loss Ends Year-Long Battle
K-pop group NewJeans is back together under ADOR following a dramatic turnaround on November 12. All five members announced they're resuming activities with the agency, two weeks after losing their court battle to break free.
Members Haerin and Hyein were first to confirm their return through an official ADOR statement. Hours later, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle released their own announcement saying they'd "decided to return to ADOR after careful discussions."
The trio explained the timing: "One member is currently in Antarctica, which delayed this announcement. As ADOR has not responded, we are compelled to share our position separately."
They promised fans: "We will continue to meet you with music and performances made with all our hearts."
What Led to the Dispute
The conflict started in April 2024 when HYBE accused ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin of planning to take NewJeans independent. Min fought back, claiming HYBE copied NewJeans' concept for another group under the company.
Min resigned as CEO in August 2024. That's when everything fell apart. The five members demanded her reinstatement and claimed ADOR violated their contracts. In November 2024, they held a press conference declaring their contracts terminated.
ADOR immediately filed a lawsuit arguing the contracts remain valid through 2029. The label secured court injunctions blocking the members from independent work. When NewJeans tried rebranding as "NJZ" in February, courts shut that down too.
Court Ruling Changed Everything
On October 30, the Seoul Central District Court sided completely with ADOR. The ruling was clear: Min's dismissal didn't breach the contracts.
"The fact that Min was removed from her position as CEO does not mean a managerial vacuum was created or that ADOR became incapable of fulfilling its contractual obligations," the court stated.
The court also rejected NewJeans' workplace harassment claims about member Hanni being ignored by an ILLIT manager, finding insufficient evidence.
NewJeans initially vowed to appeal. Legal experts said they had virtually no chance of winning given how decisively the court ruled. The deadline to file an appeal was November 13-but the return announcements came first.
Financial Stakes Were Massive
The court ordered each member to pay 1 billion won (about $700,000) per violation if they performed without ADOR's approval. Industry analysts estimated fighting the contracts could've cost the group between 450 billion and 620 billion won total.
HYBE's stock jumped 7.12% after the October ruling, adding roughly $644 million in market value.
What Happens Next
ADOR confirmed Haerin and Hyein's return, stating the two "decided to respect the court's ruling and adhere to their exclusive contract" after family discussions. The agency said it's "verifying the authenticity" of the other three members' intentions.
The label previously announced it has "completed preparations for the artist's activities, including the release of a studio album."
NewJeans debuted in July 2022 and quickly became one of K-pop's biggest acts. Their 2023 EP "Get Up" hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and they've charted five songs on the Billboard Hot 100. They've been inactive since the legal fight began last November.
The resolution marks a significant moment for K-pop's artist-agency dynamics, where companies typically maintain strict control through exclusive contracts.
