"Not grounds for termination" — ADOR releases statement in response to NewJeans' emergency press conference 

NewJeans, the globally popular girl group under ADOR (a HYBE subsidiary), announced on November 28, 2024, that they are terminating their contracts with the agency. The group cited the resignation of Min Hee-jin, ADOR's former CEO and the creative force behind their success, as the main reason. Min Hee-jin stepped down on November 20, 2024, after a prolonged feud with HYBE.

Min Hee-jin had accused HYBE of undermining her authority and mishandling internal disputes, including her allegations against BELIFT LAB (another HYBE subsidiary) for copying the Ditto group's concept for their new group, ILLIT.

Meanwhile, Daily Sports reported that ADOR denied any breach of contract and expressed regret over the group’s decision to proceed without dialogue.

"We regret that you planned and organized a press conference to terminate the agency contract without sufficiently reviewing it after receiving a response to the proof of content. As a party to the agency contract, ADOR has not breached the contract, and unilateral claims of a breach of trust are not grounds for termination."

The agency maintained that the contracts remain legally binding and emphasized its efforts to arrange meetings with the Attention group to resolve the issue. They stated that despite their several attempts to have a meeting with the group, NewJeans didn't show up for any discussion.

"The contract between ADOR and the members of NewJeans is still in effect, and we hope that you will continue to work with ADOR in the future. We have asked the artists to meet with us several times, but it hasn't worked out, and we hope that we can have an open and honest conversation with them now."

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NewJeans cited unmet demands by HYBE and ADOR as their reason for contract termination

NewJeans members openly supported Min Hee-jin and issued a certified letter earlier on November 14, demanding her reinstatement by November 28, threatening to terminate their contracts otherwise.

After HYBE failed to meet their demands, the group followed through, citing a loss of trust and creative conflicts with ADOR's management as key reasons.

Terminating their contracts before the agreed duration could have significant consequences for the group. They may face financial penalties if courts rule in ADOR’s favor regarding the validity of their agreements. BBC reported earlier that the group's contract termination before fulfilling their full term could lead them to pay over $215 million to HYBE as a penalty.

Additionally, their ability to retain the “NewJeans” name and perform their existing discography could be legally challenged by ADOR and HYBE as they own the copyright.

Meanwhile, as per SBS News' livestream, group member Hyein said:

“The five of us may not be able to use the name NewJeans for the time being, regardless of our intentions. The essence of us five being NewJeans will never change, and we have no intention of giving up the name NewJeans.”

The group's contract termination came eight days after Min Hee-jin’s resignation due to the months of tension with HYBE. She resigned from HYBE and ADOR on November 20, 2024. She accused the corporation of sidelining her leadership and undermining ADOR’s autonomy.

She also alleged that HYBE’s actions had jeopardized the Hype Boy group’s creative direction and market position. In response, HYBE sued her for breach of privacy, leaking company information, and trying to take over ADOR in April 2024.

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As the legal and contractual issues unfold, fans and the industry are closely watching how this situation shapes the future of the rookie girl group.