All five members of the popular K-pop girl group NewJeans have expressed their intention to return to their original agency, Ador, marking a significant development in their ongoing legal dispute. The announcement comes after a Seoul court ruled that the group must honor their exclusive contracts through 2029.
On Wednesday evening, three members of the group - Minji, Danielle, and Hanni - released a joint statement confirming their decision to rejoin Ador. "After careful discussions, we have decided to return to Ador. One of our members is currently in Antarctica, so the communication was delayed and since Ador has not yet responded, we had no choice but to share our position separately," the three members stated. Their announcement followed earlier confirmation from the other two members, Haerin and Hyein, who had already expressed their desire to return to the music label.
Ador, a subsidiary of entertainment giant HYBE, welcomed the return of Haerin and Hyein in an official statement released earlier that day. "Haerin and Hyein have expressed their intention to continue working with Ador," the label announced. "After careful consideration with their families and sufficient discussions with the agency, they decided to respect the court's ruling and comply with their exclusive contracts." However, regarding the remaining three members' statement, Ador said it is currently in the process of verifying the authenticity of their decision.
The group's legal battle with Ador began following the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin, who was removed from her position in August 2024 during a management conflict with parent company HYBE Labels. The five members had demanded Min's reinstatement and later claimed their contracts with Ador had been terminated, alleging that the company had breached their agreement. In response, Ador maintained that the contracts remained valid and filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of their exclusivity, along with an injunction to prevent the members from pursuing independent activities.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled on October 30 that all five members of NewJeans must honor their exclusive contracts with Ador through 2029, rejecting their attempt to terminate the agreements early. This court decision appears to have been a decisive factor in the members' choice to return to their original agency.
Ador has expressed its commitment to fully supporting the two confirmed returning members' return to the stage and has asked fans to refrain from speculating about the group's future. The entertainment company is taking a cautious approach as it works to verify the intentions of the remaining three members and potentially reunite the complete group.
NewJeans, consisting of Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein, last performed together as a complete group in March under the temporary name NJZ for a concert in Hong Kong. The group's return to Ador could pave the way for their resumption of official activities and new music releases, much to the anticipation of their global fanbase who have been waiting for resolution of the legal dispute.
