In a major turn in the long-running conflict between NewJeans and their label ADOR, a Seoul court has ruled that the group’s exclusive contract with the HYBE sublabel remains valid — a decision that immediately sent HYBE’s market value surging by approximately $644 million (915 billion KRW) on Thursday.
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The Seoul Central District Court confirmed that the five-member group’s 2022 exclusive contracts with ADOR are legally binding through 2029, rejecting NewJeans’ claims that trust between the parties had been “irreparably broken.” The ruling sided entirely with ADOR, ordering the group to cover litigation costs.
According to the court, the dismissal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin did not constitute a “management vacuum” or violation of contract obligations. “The removal of Min Hee-jin as CEO does not make ADOR incapable of fulfilling its duties,” the judge said. “Her position as CEO was not a contractual guarantee.”
The decision further rejected arguments that NewJeans’ artistic identity or “concept” was infringed upon by HYBE’s other girl group ILLIT, stating that “female idol concepts cannot be classified as proprietary intellectual property or publicity rights.”
The court also found evidence that Min Hee-jin had prepared a campaign to separate ADOR from HYBE, allegedly attempting to find investors to take over the label and using the members’ parents to sway public sentiment against HYBE.
ADOR released a statement expressing cautious optimism:
“We sincerely hope this outcome allows NewJeans to reflect calmly on recent events,” ADOR said. “We will do our utmost to bring them back to their fans.”
However, NewJeans’ legal representatives at Shin & Kim declared their intent to appeal, saying:
“The members respect the court’s decision but cannot return to ADOR under the current circumstances. Trust has been completely destroyed.”
This verdict marks the latest chapter in a year-long battle that began when NewJeans sought to terminate their contract in late 2024, shortly after Min Hee-jin was ousted as ADOR’s CEO. Her removal followed HYBE’s accusation that she had tried to make ADOR independent from the parent company — claims she denied, countering that HYBE had copied NewJeans’ creative direction for ILLIT.
While the legal fight continues, global fans and industry peers have rallied behind NewJeans. A Western pop star posted on social media, “My heart is with you, NewJeans,” sharing solidarity with the group and alluding to her own past struggles with restrictive management — a reminder that creative control battles in the music industry transcend borders.
My heart is with you NewJeans ❤️
— kesha (@KeshaRose) October 30, 2025
NewJeans, who debuted in 2022, rapidly became one of K-pop’s most influential acts, landing on multiple Billboard charts and redefining the global sound of the genre. Despite HYBE’s success with acts like BTS, Seventeen, and LE SSERAFIM, the company has yet to recreate the same cultural and musical impact that NewJeans brought to the K-pop landscape as a girl group.
As the case moves into appeal, the world watches closely — not just for its business implications, but for what it reveals about power, artistry, and autonomy in the K-pop industry.