“Disbandment?”- ADOR erases all NewJeans (NJZ) mentions from website, sparking fan speculation amidst ongoing legal dispute

ADOR has quietly altered its official website, drawing attention from NewJeans fans. The former domain, ador.world, now redirects to adoraudition.world, which only lists details for auditions to form a new boy group. The previous footer link to NewJeans' official page has been removed. The site’s design has also been updated, now displaying HYBE branding.

The move comes as NZ's remains in a legal dispute with ADOR. The group has earlier raised allegations of unfair treatment and publicly named HYBE in their statements. The case is still active in court.

Online responses vary. Some see the change as a worrying sign for the group’s future, while others believe it could signal progress toward separating from ADOR and HYBE.

"NewJeans disbandment? 😱," an X user commented.

Neither ADOR nor HYBE has released an explanation. NJZ’s future activities remain undecided, with fans closely watching for any official updates.

Others believe that the move is a sign that the girls will be "free" now.

ADOR & NewJeans legal dispute explained

ADOR's NewJeans (Image via Instagram/@newjeans_official, @alldoorsoneroom)

Starting in 2024, the conflict between NewJeans and ADOR escalated without a resolution by August 2025. The disagreement sparked when ADOR’s original CEO, Min Hee-jin, was dismissed amid leadership conflicts. Min played a crucial role in NJZ’s artistic vision. However, her departure weakened relations between the girl group and its parent firm.

NJZ, consisting of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, debuted under ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, in 2022. By late 2024, the group sought to terminate its exclusive contracts, citing unfair treatment and contract violations. ADOR filed for a court injunction to maintain the contracts through 2029.

The courts largely favored the HYBE subsidiary, issuing injunctions in early 2025 preventing NJZ from independent activities without approval. The ruling highlighted HYBE’s significant investment and ADOR’s offer to retain Min Hee-jin as producer. NJZ missed the final appeal deadline in June, ending their legal challenge.

ADOR countered that ending contracts would harm all parties and promised support for the K-pop act's comeback. Additional issues include allegations of emotional manipulation by the company.

Despite the dispute, ADOR continues to make payments to NewJeans and has taken legal action against online harassment and deepfake content. Currently, NJZ remains under ADOR’s control per court orders, with mediation scheduled for August 14th. The group completed their last ADOR/HYBE activities in early 2025 and announced a hiatus. Courts have upheld contracts despite personal claims.

The website changes may reflect strategic shifts or legal pressures, but no official updates clarify the situation. A final court decision is expected later this year on October 30, if mediation fails, determining NJZ’s future.

About the author

Shreya Jha specializes in K-Pop and K-Drama content at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, she brings a refined approach to Entertainment Journalism. Over the course of two years, she has worked with media agencies such as FandomWire and Animated Times, publishing over 2000+ articles.

Some of the highlights of Shreya's career include writing an exclusive piece on the Bvlgari Necklace and reviewing the Jaguar Type 00 for The Luxxe Mag. Entertainment is a space she resonates with the most. Some of the favorite aspects of her work comprise analyzing plot twists, discussing comebacks, and covering other pop-culture news in general.

Putting forward a sensitively-written article, by incorporating a multiplicity of perspectives is important to her. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys reading contemporary romance novels and performing Bharatnatyam. She admires Amelia Dimoldenberg for her deadpan humor.

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Edited by Divya Singh