NewJeans Faces Legal Battle with ADOR Over Contract Termination

NewJeans has announced a legal battle with their agency, ADOR, over the termination of their exclusive contract. This conflict, initially between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE, has now escalated into a direct confrontation between NewJeans and ADOR.

During the 1st Korea Grand Music Awards (KGMA) on the 16th, NewJeans hinted at the possibility of losing their group name while accepting the 2024 Grand Artist award. On stage, member Hani stated, "We don't know how long we will be 'NewJeans,' but nothing can disrupt the bond between the five of us and our fans, the Bunnies. Let's stick together until the end."

Daniel added, "Even if we're not 'NewJeans,' NewJeans never dies," eliciting cheers from fans. Hae-rin, during her speech, initially mentioned "ADOR staff who always help us" but corrected herself to "staff who are with us."

The statements "we don't know how long we will be NewJeans" and "even if we're not NewJeans" suggest the possibility of losing the trademark rights to the name. This could occur if NewJeans leaves ADOR following the contract termination lawsuit. The trademark 'NewJeans' is owned by ADOR, and regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, using the name would be virtually impossible without acquiring the rights from ADOR. ADOR also holds the trademark for the bunny image symbolizing the Bunnies.

In September, NewJeans took a stand in the Min-Hee-jin-HYBE conflict through a surprise YouTube live broadcast, expressing their distress over internal ostracism and mental anguish, and calling for Min's reinstatement as CEO.

On October 15, NewJeans' Hani appeared as a witness at a national audit, bringing the ADOR conflict to the forefront. Hani criticized, "I don't think (CEO Kim Joo-young) did his best. He has no will to fight for us or take any action, so I can't say he did his best," urging for a resolution before discussing their future.

On the 13th, NewJeans directly mentioned contract termination, sending a notice to ADOR stating they would terminate the contract if their demands were not met. The core demand is the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin. While HYBE has allowed Min to continue as a producer, NewJeans desires 'Min Hee-jin's ADOR,' with her in a managerial role, which HYBE, holding control over ADOR, is unwilling to accept. This leaves little room for negotiation.

The series of events, from the surprise YouTube live, Hani's national audit appearance, the notice, and the award ceremony speech, illustrate the shift of conflict from Min-Hee-jin-HYBE to NewJeans-ADOR. Previously seen as 'early 20s idols' caught in the crossfire, NewJeans is now a direct party in the legal dispute. The deadline for HYBE to meet NewJeans' demands is approaching. Despite their firm stance, leaving room for negotiation until the last moment is a rational strategy.