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On May 30, 2025, as reported by South Korean media outlet Maeil Kyungjae, the 52nd Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court ruled that none of the NewJeans members may join entertainment gigs independently or through any third-party agency unless ADOR signs it off in advance.
The court issued an order stopping the K-pop act from taking part in any shows, promotions, or outside work without the official go-ahead from their label, as the two sides continue to battle over the group’s management deal.
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Furthermore, the ruling includes a penalty clause stating that each member will be required to pay 1 billion won (nearly $726,000) to ADOR for every single breach of the order. The legal costs for both sides must also be handled by NewJeans, as per the court’s direction.
This restriction will stand until the court makes its initial decision in the case centered on whether the K-pop group's contract remains valid.
ADOR and NewJeans' dispute explained
In November 2024, NewJeans officially announced the termination of their contract with ADOR, pointing to a breakdown in trust and internal handling issues. The group’s decision came after growing tensions between HYBE and ADOR’s former CEO, Min Hee-jin.
As reported by Korea JoongAng Daily on November 29, 2024, NewJeans stated:
"All five of us signed the contract termination notification, which arrived at ADOR on Nov. 29. The notice goes into effect as soon as it arrives, which means that the exclusive contract lost its power from that very moment. That gives us no reason to file for an injunction in court, and we are free to pursue our own activities, starting Nov. 29, 2024."
The issue began in April 2024 when HYBE started an internal review of ADOR. The company believed CEO Min was trying to take full control of the label without the parent company HYBE’s approval.
They claimed she had reached out to board members and staff to influence operations behind the scenes. Min, however, denied the claims, saying her actions were misunderstood and that she had no plans to take over.
In August of the same year, HYBE dismissed Min from her role at ADOR. NewJeans then spoke out in her support, with all five members publicly asking for her to be reinstated, calling her central to their creative process.
Later, in November, the girl group terminated its contract with the South Korean multinational entertainment company. Then, in February 2025, the K-pop act swapped its title to NJZ. They also confirmed plans to perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong in March, which they subsequently did.
However, a court order soon restricted the members from doing any activity (solo or together) without ADOR’s permission. This legal block led to a complete halt in group schedules.
The next hearing in the ongoing trial between NewJeans and ADOR is set for June 5, where both sides will further present their arguments.
