All five NewJeans members to continue with Ador
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Out of the five members of K-pop girl group NewJeans (from left, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin, Minji and Hyein), only Haerin and Hyein have said they will continue with record label Ador after a court ruling.
PHOTO: NEWJEANS_ADOR/X
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SEOUL – Two members of K-pop girl group NewJeans – Haerin and Hyein – plan to return to Ador, a music label under Hybe, the agency said on Nov 11, hours before the three other members also reportedly decided to follow suit.
In a post on its official X account, Ador stated: “NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have expressed their intention to continue their activities with Ador.
“After careful discussions with their families and the company, they have decided to respect the court’s ruling and abide by their exclusive contracts.”
The agency added: “Ador will do its utmost to ensure that Haerin and Hyein can continue their entertainment activities smoothly.
“We ask for fans’ warm support and urge everyone to refrain from making unfounded speculations about the members.”
Shortly after Ador’s statement, South Korean media outlets reported that the other members – Minji, Hanni and Danielle – had also decided to continue with the label.
Yonhap and the Maeil newspaper reported that the three stated they decided to return “after careful deliberation”.
“One member is currently in Antarctica, which delayed our communication, and since Ador has not responded yet, we felt it necessary to announce our position separately,” the trio said in a statement.
Maeil reported that Ador responded with a statement of its own, saying: “We are currently verifying the sincerity behind the three members’ intention to return.”
The quintet had been embroiled in a legal dispute since November 2024, when their members suddenly held a press conference announcing the termination of their exclusive contract with Ador.
The label responded in December by filing a lawsuit seeking confirmation of contract validity.
Ador also requested injunctions to prevent the members from pursuing independent activities or entering advertisement contracts without the agency’s consent until the main lawsuit had concluded.
In February, the group announced plans to continue their activities under a new team name, NJZ
Subsequent appeals and objections filed by the members were all dismissed.
In May, the court approved Ador’s request for indirect compulsory execution. It ruled that each NewJeans member had to pay one billion won
As their activities were suspended by the court order, the girl group have since stayed inactive.
The latest development in October saw the Seoul Central District Court rule that Ador retained exclusive rights
NewJeans will not be able to pursue their own acts until 2029, unless they win in an appeal. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
