[instiz] NEWJEANS, SURROUNDED BY ALL SIDES, SUDDENLY EXPRESSES INTENT TO RETURN… ADJUSTMENT HEARING SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 14TH

As the girl group NewJeans faced increasing pressure due to a 1-year and 3-month-long hiatus, their side has reversed course and expressed willingness to return to ADOR, but only under the condition that things revert to the way they were before HYBE’s intervention.

On the afternoon of July 24, the third hearing in the lawsuit regarding the validity of the exclusive contract between ADOR and the NewJeans members was held at the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 41 (Presiding Judge: Kim Yoo-sung). At the hearing, both sides presented directly conflicting arguments.

ADOR’s legal team argued that former CEO Min Heejin was behind the members’ notice of contract termination. They countered that the plagiarism controversy involving the group ILLIT and the so-called “being ignored” incident were simply fabricated pretexts aimed at justifying the contract termination. ADOR also emphasized, “We have faithfully fulfilled our duties related to artist management, and the trust relationship still remains intact.”

They further stated, “The claim that the contract is invalid simply because Min Heejin stopped producing is a distortion of the essence of the exclusive contract,” asserting that this cannot be considered a valid reason for termination.

On the other hand, NewJeans’ representatives argued, “This entire dispute began in April 2023 when HYBE launched an audit aimed at ousting CEO Min Hee-jin.” They claimed, “The breach-of-trust allegations against Min Hee-jin were ultimately dropped, and in the end, only NewJeans suffered from all this.”

Particularly striking was NewJeans’ side comparing the situation to abuse, stating, “Telling us to go back to HYBE is like telling a school violence victim to go back and endure at that same school,” and added, “It’s like saying, ‘The mother who raised you has been kicked out, but the abusive father is going to find you a better mom, so come home.’”

They concluded, “Please let the girls go. Or, as of April 2024, return them to the ADOR they trusted. If that happens, a return is possible. We hope the mediation process provides a forum for constructive negotiation.”

With the conclusion of the day’s hearing, both sides will now officially enter into mediation. The court has scheduled a closed-door mediation session for August 14 at 2:00 PM. If successful, the agreement will carry the same legal effect as a court settlement. However, in case the mediation fails, the court has tentatively scheduled October 30 for the final verdict.