All NewJeans Members Confirm Return to Ador... One Year After Termination of Exclusive Contract

The members of the girl group NewJeans have officially resolved the exclusive contract conflict that has lasted for about a year by deciding to return to their agency Ador.

Ador announced on the 12th through an official statement that "NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein have first expressed their intention to continue activities with Ador." About 2 hours and 30 minutes later, the remaining members Minji, Hani, and Danielle also expressed their intent to return, allowing NewJeans to resume full group activities.

Legal Dispute Concluded One Day Before Appeal Submission

The members of NewJeans began a legal dispute after notifying Ador of their termination of the exclusive contract when the return request of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin was not accepted last November.

However, on the 30th of last month, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff in the first trial of the exclusive contract validity confirmation lawsuit filed by Ador. The court determined that "the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin does not create a vacancy in management."

Initially, NewJeans had expressed their intention to appeal, but on the 12th, one day before the appeal submission deadline, they decided to respect the court's ruling and comply with the exclusive contract, thus concluding the dispute. Industry insiders analyze this decision as a result of the members' concerns over the prolonged legal dispute leading to activity gaps and economic burdens.

New Song List Submitted, Activity Resumption Imminent

Ador stated, "We will do our best to ensure that members, including Haerin and Hyein, can continue their entertainment activities smoothly," and asked for the warm support of fans. As Ador has already submitted a new song list for NewJeans to the court during the lawsuit process in July, preparations for resuming activities have been underway, and NewJeans is expected to soon resume full-scale activities.