On July 24, during the third hearing at the Seoul Central District Court regarding their exclusive contract lawsuit, NewJeans made a bold statement: they cannot return to ADOR under its current leadership. Their legal team compared the situation to domestic violence and psychological trauma, underscoring the irreparable breakdown in trust.
“The shell is the same, but the SIM card has changed.” NewJeans argued that while the ADOR name remains, it’s not the same label they signed with. “All the staff who supported us are gone. HYBE employees have taken over—this is not the ADOR we trusted.”
They blamed the April 2023 audit of former CEO Min Hee-jin as the origin of the conflict. After members raised concerns over ILLIT’s alleged plagiarism, Min protested to HYBE and Belift Lab. Just six days later, HYBE launched a surprise audit. “It was clearly a retaliatory move,” said their legal team.
“The mother was kicked out, and the abusive father is asking us to return.” Min was likened to a homeschooling mother who raised and nurtured the members. “She was removed, and now the father—who represents the HYBE-led ADOR—is telling us he’ll assign a better mother and to just come back. It’s absurd.”
The team also referenced a case involving member Hanni, who claimed she was mistreated backstage. “When we asked for CCTV footage of her leaving the room, they said it was deleted. Why was only that part erased? They’re treating her like a liar.”
NewJeans claimed that HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk, despite his success with BTS, had never succeeded with a girl group and grew uneasy with Min’s rising influence. “Like a king threatened by a talented general, he moved to eliminate her,” they said.
The group clarified that they would _consider returning_—but only if ADOR is restored to its April 2024 status, under Min Hee-jin’s leadership. “Otherwise, our mental health is at risk. We can’t go back to a place where we were ignored and harmed.”
The hearing ended with the court scheduling a closed-door mediation on August 14. If an agreement is reached, it will carry the same legal weight as a court ruling. If not, the next hearing is tentatively set for October 30.
Nate
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