NewJeans Agrees to Renew Contract with ADOR, Ending “NJZ” Controversy

NewJeans has resolved its legal dispute with its agency ADOR and decided to renew its contract. This decision comes roughly one year after the group announced its separation from ADOR last year. The five members of NewJeans—Minzy, Hanni, Danielle, Hyein, and Haerin—officially stated this week that they will continue their partnership with ADOR. Hyein and Haerin previously mentioned that ADOR had expressed willingness to support their ongoing activities, while Hanni, Danielle, and Minzy shared in a separate statement on Wednesday that they decided to return to ADOR after careful consideration. Last year, NewJeans declared the end of its seven-year exclusive contract with ADOR and unveiled a new brand name, “NJZ,” in February. At that time, the group cited the dismissal of former ADOR CEO Minhee Jin, insufficient support from the label, and unfair treatment as reasons for terminating the contract. However, in June, the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of ADOR. The court determined that Minhee Jin’s employment terms were not specified in NewJeans’ contract, and there was no evidence showing that the new management had treated the group unfairly. Although NewJeans initially indicated it would appeal, it ultimately chose to renew its contract. Despite the legal conflict, the group continued to achieve musical success. In March, they performed under the “NJZ” name at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, though they noted that this might be their last performance for some time. Meanwhile, NewJeans set a new record in Japan’s streaming market. As of October this year, “Ditto,” released in December 2022, has accumulated over 300 million streams, earning it a “triple platinum” certification in the streaming category. This is the first achievement of its kind for a K-pop girl group and only the second such accomplishment among all K-pop acts. “Ditto” also won the “Best K-Pop Song in Japan” award at the Music Awards Japan 2025 in May.