Legal Battle Overshadows NewJeans’ Third Anniversary
Kang In sig / Published July 24, 2025 08:58 PM
Kang In sig
K-pop girl group NewJeans marked its third debut anniversary this week amid an ongoing legal standoff that has stalled the once-rising stars’ career.
On Thursday, just two days after the July 22 anniversary, the group became the focus of a third court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. The lawsuit, filed by its agency Ador, a subsidiary of HYBE, seeks to validate the group’s exclusive contracts—contracts that the five members are now challenging.
Fans gathered outside the courthouse in hopes of catching a glimpse of the members—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—but the group did not attend the hearing in person.
The conflict dates back to November 2024, when the members declared their intent to terminate their contracts during an emergency press conference, citing an irreparable breakdown of trust with Ador. Shortly afterward, they launched a new identity under the name NJZ and began preparing for independent promotions.
In response, Ador filed a lawsuit asserting that the members' exclusive contracts were still in force. The agency also sought—and was granted—an injunction to bar the group from engaging in any external activities. The injunction was upheld on appeal in March, effectively halting all official NewJeans activities.
From left are NewJeans members Hyein, Danielle, ex-Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, NewJeans' Hanni, Haerin and Minji. Captured from Instagram
The dispute has cast a heavy shadow over what had been one of K-pop’s most remarkable success stories. Since debuting on July 22, 2022, NewJeans quickly rose to stardom with a refreshing image and sound that stood apart from the increasingly conceptual and identity-driven trends in the K-pop industry. Their debut EP—including breakout tracks like “Attention” and “Hype Boy”—along with later hits such as “Ditto,” “OMG,” “Super Shy,” and “ETA,” captured audiences both in Korea and abroad.
Much of the group’s success was attributed to Min Hee-jin, Ador’s founding CEO and former creative director at SM Entertainment. Her minimalist aesthetic and youth-centric vision for NewJeans garnered widespread acclaim. After her falling-out with HYBE in April 2024—when she was accused of attempting to seize control of Ador—the dispute escalated and ultimately engulfed the group as well.
While Min was recently cleared of breach of trust charges, the rift between NewJeans and its agency remains deep. During the latest court hearing, the group's legal representatives firmly rejected the possibility of settlement, stating they had "crossed a river of no return."
With all official updates now controlled by Ador and the members’ personal communication channels inactive, fans remain in the dark about the group’s future. Their last official music release was a double single, “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum,” in May, followed by their Japanese debut single “Supernatural” in June. Their final public performance came in March at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, where they surprised fans with a performance of their unreleased track, “Pit Stop.”
What once seemed like an unstoppable rise for NewJeans has been brought to a sudden halt. As the court battle continues, the future of the group remains uncertain—trapped in a legal limbo as fans await resolution.
Sayart / Kang In sig insig6622@naver.com
K-pop girl group NewJeans marked its third debut anniversary this week amid an ongoing legal standoff that has stalled the once-rising stars’ career.
On Thursday, just two days after the July 22 anniversary, the group became the focus of a third court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. The lawsuit, filed by its agency Ador, a subsidiary of HYBE, seeks to validate the group’s exclusive contracts—contracts that the five members are now challenging.
Fans gathered outside the courthouse in hopes of catching a glimpse of the members—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—but the group did not attend the hearing in person.
The conflict dates back to November 2024, when the members declared their intent to terminate their contracts during an emergency press conference, citing an irreparable breakdown of trust with Ador. Shortly afterward, they launched a new identity under the name NJZ and began preparing for independent promotions.
In response, Ador filed a lawsuit asserting that the members' exclusive contracts were still in force. The agency also sought—and was granted—an injunction to bar the group from engaging in any external activities. The injunction was upheld on appeal in March, effectively halting all official NewJeans activities.
From left are NewJeans members Hyein, Danielle, ex-Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, NewJeans' Hanni, Haerin and Minji. Captured from Instagram
The dispute has cast a heavy shadow over what had been one of K-pop’s most remarkable success stories. Since debuting on July 22, 2022, NewJeans quickly rose to stardom with a refreshing image and sound that stood apart from the increasingly conceptual and identity-driven trends in the K-pop industry. Their debut EP—including breakout tracks like “Attention” and “Hype Boy”—along with later hits such as “Ditto,” “OMG,” “Super Shy,” and “ETA,” captured audiences both in Korea and abroad.
Much of the group’s success was attributed to Min Hee-jin, Ador’s founding CEO and former creative director at SM Entertainment. Her minimalist aesthetic and youth-centric vision for NewJeans garnered widespread acclaim. After her falling-out with HYBE in April 2024—when she was accused of attempting to seize control of Ador—the dispute escalated and ultimately engulfed the group as well.
While Min was recently cleared of breach of trust charges, the rift between NewJeans and its agency remains deep. During the latest court hearing, the group's legal representatives firmly rejected the possibility of settlement, stating they had "crossed a river of no return."
With all official updates now controlled by Ador and the members’ personal communication channels inactive, fans remain in the dark about the group’s future. Their last official music release was a double single, “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum,” in May, followed by their Japanese debut single “Supernatural” in June. Their final public performance came in March at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, where they surprised fans with a performance of their unreleased track, “Pit Stop.”
What once seemed like an unstoppable rise for NewJeans has been brought to a sudden halt. As the court battle continues, the future of the group remains uncertain—trapped in a legal limbo as fans await resolution.
