NewJeans lose appeal against ADOR, court says exclusive contracts valid until 2029

K-pop girl group NewJeans lost its contract dispute against its agency, ADOR after the Seoul Central District Court ruled on Thursday that the group's reasons for terminating the agreement were unaccepted.

According to the court, former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin's dismissal did not qualify as grounds to nullify the contract.

Chief Judge Jeong Hoe-il confirmed the validity of the group’s 7-year long exclusive contract signed in 2022 until it expires in 2029.

The decision keeps NewJeans bound to the agency despite the group’s earlier attempt to separate and rebrand as NJZ.

With the court ruling in ADOR's favour, NewJeans' future hangs in the balance as the legal battle continues.

The dispute ensued in November 2024 when NewJeans members cited a “breakdown of trust” as the reason for terminating their contracts. The group announced plans to pursue activities independently as NJZ and went on hiatus after a performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong in March.

While the K-pop industry has a dark precedent of such legal disputes, fans anticipate the fate of the girl group and hope for a positive outcome.