NewJeans Must Honor Exclusive Label Contract, Latest Court Ruling Affirms

The Seoul High Court has sided with ADOR, the label behind K-pop powerhouse NewJeans, in an ongoing legal dispute that’s captivated fans and industry insiders alike.

On Tuesday (June 17), a panel of judges — Hwang Byung-ha, Jeong Jong-gwan, and Lee Kyun-yong — upheld a prior injunction barring the five-member group, currently promoting as NJZ, from pursuing independent activities outside of their exclusive contract with ADOR.

The court rejected the group’s appeal, stating there were no sufficient legal grounds to overturn the original decision, which was put in place to maintain the status quo of the contract.

In their filing, the members of NewJeans argued that HYBE, the parent company of ADOR, had broken the trust central to their contract — pointing to HYBE’s internal audit and the controversial dismissal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-Jin. They also cited a lack of support and neglect from the label as further grounds for appeal.

However, the court disagreed, finding no contractual clause that guaranteed Min’s position as CEO or producer. Judges emphasized that while the leadership dispute may have created tension, it did not invalidate the binding nature of the agreement.

The court further noted that HYBE had acted in good faith by establishing ADOR specifically for NewJeans and providing major support for the group’s debut and rise to stardom. Even after Min’s dismissal, HYBE reportedly offered to keep her involved in the group’s creative direction and later reinstated her as an internal director of ADOR.

In response to concerns about inactivity and career disruption, the judges concluded that any resulting harm stemmed from the members’ refusal to fulfill contractual obligations — not from actions by the company. They also emphasized that the contract had been individually negotiated and could not be considered an unfair, one-size-fits-all agreement under Korean law.

The ruling highlighted the potential financial damage to ADOR if the group were allowed to unilaterally terminate the agreement, a risk the artists had acknowledged at the outset. The seven-year term, the court noted, was clearly agreed upon by all parties.

With the decision, the court reaffirmed ADOR’s legal authority over NewJeans’ management and effectively shut down the group’s attempt to gain independent control of their activities marking a significant chapter in a legal battle that could reshape how artist-label contracts are viewed in the K-pop industry.