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Will NewJeans finally return to ADOR? Members set ONE non-negotiable condition amid August 14 mediation
NewJeans’ legal team says members may return to ADOR, but only if agency is restored to pre-audit state. Mediation with NJZ and ADOR set for August 14. Read here to know more!
The tense legal battle between NewJeans (NJZ) and their agency ADOR entered a critical new phase on July 24, 2025. Both parties attended the third hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. The hearing focused on the core issue: whether the group’s exclusive contracts with ADOR remain valid.
Following the session, the court officially scheduled a closed-door mediation for August 14. This signals a potential opportunity for both sides to reach a compromise outside of lengthy litigation. The outcome of the mediation may determine whether NewJeans remains under ADOR or is freed from their current contract.
NewJeans open to returning to ADOR, but only under one condition
In a notable shift, NewJeans’s legal team clarified that the members aren’t completely against returning to ADOR. However, they laid out a non-negotiable condition. The agency must revert to how it was before HYBE’s internal audit of former CEO Min Hee Jin began in April 2024.
NewJeans’ side stated, “It’s not that [the members] absolutely refuse to return to ADOR. If ADOR can be returned to how it was before the audit in April 2024, [they] would be willing to go back. But if that’s not possible, then we hope they will let [the members] go by terminating the contract.”
The team argued that the core of the dispute stemmed not from a desire to leave ADOR, but from the disruption caused by HYBE’s intervention. The audit accused Min Hee Jin of attempting to seize control and manipulate NewJeans’ management. But it was later found baseless by police. Despite this, the fallout deeply impacted the members.
According to NewJeans’s side, HYBE’s attempt to dismiss Min Hee Jin based on the audit created an unstable environment. They claim NewJeans were caught in the crossfire, leading to broken trust and emotional distress. The group’s stance is clear: they are only open to staying if ADOR is restored to its pre-audit leadership and structure.
NewJeans rejects HYBE-controlled ADOR
The group’s legal representatives also criticized ADOR’s current operations, stating that the label has changed drastically since Min Hee Jin’s authority was challenged. They accused HYBE of placing its staff in key roles at ADOR, altering the agency’s internal culture and direction.
NewJeans’s team emphasized that the members’ success was made possible under Min Hee Jin’s leadership. With that foundation now compromised, the team firmly stated that returning to a HYBE-controlled ADOR is not an option.
They added, “Today’s ADOR is not the same ADOR that led to our past success. It’s now controlled by HYBE staff. The so-called generous support and dividends came when Min Hee Jin was CEO. We can’t trust ADOR anymore, which is why we can’t return to it in its current state.”
What happens next?
The upcoming August 14 mediation will be a crucial test of whether both ADOR and NewJeans are willing to find middle ground. If mediation fails, the court will proceed with its final judgment on the contract validity lawsuit. The outcome could potentially set a major precedent for artist-agency relations in K-pop.
