In brief
In a major ruling, South Korean group NewJeans lost its legal battle against its label Ador, with the court affirming their contract remains valid until 2029. The five members had expressed intentions to leave the agency due to alleged mistreatment. They plan to appeal this decision, asserting it is 'impossible' to return to Ador without a breach of trust following the dismissal of their mentor. The case sheds light on the challenges faced by artists within Korea's strict entertainment industry.
K-pop group NewJeans loses legal battle against agency
K-pop group NewJeans has lost a legal battle to leave its record label Ador. A South Korean court on Tuesday ruled that the act's contract with the label, which runs until 2029, remains valid.
The group's five members - Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, Danielle and Minji - announced last year that they were unilaterally leaving the agency, citing mistreatment and manipulation. The group has said it will appeal the ruling, according to local media reports.
NewJeans said it is impossible to return to Ador and continue their activities as normal, the reports said. The Seoul Central District Court rejected NewJeans' argument that the dismissal of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, who was also the group's mentor, constituted a breach of contract. NewJeans alleged that her dismissal broke their trust with the agency.
In a statement released after the ruling, Ador said it sincerely hopes that the judgment will serve as an opportunity for the artists to calmly reflect on this matter.
The label added that it is ready for the members' upcoming activities, including the release of an album, and is now waiting.
The case stunned South Korea, where record labels wield large amounts of power and tightly control their stars. It is highly unusual for artists to rebel against them.
Formed in July 2022, NewJeans, whose members are aged from 17 to 21, had enjoyed rapid success before their dramatic fallout with the agency. Their first single Attention topped Korean charts right after their debut, while their hit song SuperShy made multiple best of the year lists at the end of 2023, including those compiled by Rolling Stone, NME, and Billboard Magazine.
Critics had called them a game-changer as their blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies broke through a K-pop scene dominated by electronic beats.
What led us here?
Tuesday's ruling follows a year-long standoff between the chart-topping group and its agency. The group's announcement to split from Ador, made in November last year during a press conference, followed a long and public spat between Min Hee-jin and Ador, as well as its parent company, Hybe - South Korea's biggest music label, whose client list includes K-pop royalty such as BTS and Seventeen.
Tensions between Min and Hybe started in April 2024, when Hybe launched audits into Ador, then managed by Min, calling her to step down. Min rejected Hybe's allegations that she was plotting to go independent. In August, she was dismissed as the CEO of Ador.
The band soon issued an ultimatum demanding that Min be reinstated. When Hybe refused, the members went public with a series of complaints against the label, including claims it had deliberately undermined their careers. One of the group's members, Hanni, also alleged that she suffered workplace harassment while working with the label.
In December, Ador filed a lawsuit asking the court to confirm the validity of their contract with the group. As the disputes continued, the group's five members attempted to rebrand themselves as NJZ in February. They planned to release a new song, but the promotions were halted by a court order.
The group still performed it at a show in Hong Kong, where they announced a hiatus. Back in March, after the court injunction was issued, the group described the court's decision as a shock, but said they would go through it together.
