In a powerful legal turn, the Seoul Central District Court has ruled in favour of ADOR, the HYBE subsidiary managing K-pop sensation NewJeans, granting the company exclusive rights over the group’s activities. This decision comes just days before NewJeans was set to perform at ComplexCon under a rebranded name, NJZ, as part of their attempt to break away from ADOR’s management.
The court issued a preliminary injunction affirming ADOR’s exclusive authority over NewJeans, effectively halting the five members—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—from pursuing independent projects without the company’s approval. This includes suspending any advertising contracts and performances the group had planned as NJZ.
In an official statement, ADOR accepted the court’s decision and reaffirmed its commitment to managing the group. “With our status as NewJeans’ exclusive agency now legally affirmed, we are fully committed to supporting the artists going forward,” ADOR stated.
The agency also confirmed its participation at ComplexCon this weekend, emphasising that any performance involving NewJeans will take place under the official group name and under ADOR’s management.
“We will be fully present at ComplexCon this weekend to guarantee the performance is presented under the NewJeans name. We eagerly anticipate meeting with the artists for a heartfelt conversation at the earliest opportunity,” the statement added.
Along with ComplexCon Hong Kong, the girl group teased the release of a debut track under the NJZ name, scheduled for March 23. However, with the court’s recent ruling in ADOR’s favour, these plans have been abruptly put on hold.
What happened between NewJeans and ADOR?
Tensions between NewJeans and ADOR have been building since November 2024, when the group’s members publicly accused ADOR of ‘mistreatment.’ At a press conference, they announced plans to part ways with the agency, rebrand as NJZ, and continue their musical careers independently.
ADOR, in response, filed a lawsuit to uphold its exclusive management rights over the group and sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the members from engaging in independent activities.
Now, the court has ruled in support of ADOR, making NewJeans’ independent comeback difficult.
