NewJeans Decides to Return to ADOR Despite Losing Lawsuit...Set to Restart Amid Concerns Over “Destroyed Trust”

NewJeans has chosen to return to their agency even after losing the legal dispute against ADOR. This decision comes one year after they announced the termination of their exclusive contract in November last year, drawing significant attention to the group’s future activities. The Seoul court rejected NewJeans’ request to end their contract with ADOR last week. The court ruled that the dismissal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin was not a sufficient reason to invalidate the seven-year exclusive contract. This outcome follows nearly a year of legal battles initiated by the group’s members shortly after Min Hee-jin’s removal in August last year. ADOR officially confirmed the return of Haerin and Hyein on the 12th. However, the agency stated it is still verifying the sincerity of Minzy, Hanni, and Danielle’s desire to return. Subsequently, these three members first announced their decision to return through a separate law firm rather than ADOR. In a statement, they explained, “After careful consideration, we have decided to return to ADOR,” adding, “One member is currently in Antarctica, which delayed the communication. Since ADOR has not responded, we had no choice but to issue this statement separately.” NewJeans is already showing signs of rising popularity on charts as part of their comeback efforts. They ranked first in the 2nd week of November’s Idol Chart Achah Ranking with a total score of 16,870 points. Their high scores across music streams, YouTube performance, and social media usage demonstrate strong fan interest and support. Nevertheless, trust issues remain a significant challenge. The three members reiterated in their statement that “under the current circumstances, the trust relationship with ADOR has been completely destroyed, making it impossible to carry out normal entertainment activities.” ADOR has only maintained that it will “do its best to ensure smooth discussions.” Since Min Hee-jin’s dismissal last year, NewJeans has made multiple attempts to terminate their contract. In March this year, they rebranded as “NJZ” as an independent entity and released a new song titled “Pit Stop,” but ADOR’s objections restricted their use of the new name. With the court’s decision now in place and their return to ADOR finalized, it remains to be seen how NewJeans will restore trust and return to their fans.