On July 24, during the third hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, NewJeans’ legal team issued a stark analogy that quickly went viral: “It’s like telling a wife who feels like vomiting at the sight of her husband to just keep living with him,” — a metaphor meant to illustrate the emotional toll of potentially forcing the group back into a management structure controlled by HYBE.
Even more striking was the group’s own petition, stating: “Telling us to return to ADOR and HYBE is like forcing a school bullying victim to go back to the school where the abuser is.” The members cited emotional distress, including depression and nightmares, as part of their deep distrust of the current leadership, especially following the dismissal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, whom they described as a pillar of support.
Despite the intensity of their language, NewJeans emphasized that they were not absolutely refusing to return. “If this were still the ADOR we once trusted, we’d go back even if told not to. But the current ADOR is completely controlled by HYBE,” they argued.
In response, ADOR’s legal team maintained that there were no legal grounds for contract termination. They asserted that NewJeans could resume activities under the existing agreement without penalty and dismissed the impact of Min Hee-jin’s removal as irrelevant to the contract’s validity.
The emotional framing has sparked divided reactions online. Supporters expressed sympathy: “You can feel their desperation” and “It’s clear they feel betrayed.”
But others pushed back:
- “They’re forcing this into a victim-aggressor narrative,”
- “Invoking school bullying and domestic violence crosses the line,”
- “They gained fame under HYBE’s system. Now they’re rejecting it?”
The debate also raised broader questions about artist-agency dynamics. Some netizens questioned whether it’s appropriate for an idol group to demand control over executive appointments.
The court has scheduled a mediation session for August 14, urging both parties to submit realistic settlement proposals. With emotions running high and stakes even higher, the K-pop world is watching closely to see whether this battle will be resolved or further unravel.
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