Seoul court rules in favor of ADOR, upholds exclusive contract with NewJeans

The Seoul Central District Court has ruled in favor of ADOR in its contract dispute with girl group NewJeans, upholding the validity of the group’s exclusive contract with the agency.

According to a report by The Chosun Daily, the court said that it was “difficult to recognize that ADOR violated any contractual obligations” by dismissing former CEO Min Hee Jin.

The court also ordered NewJeans to pay the litigation costs.

The dispute began after NewJeans notified ADOR of contract termination in November last year, citing loss of trust following the dismissal of Min Hee Jin. The group later rebranded as NJZ and pursued independent activities.

In its ruling, the court stated that Hee Jin's dismissal alone did not "cause a gap in management duties for the NewJeans members or that ADOR lacks the plans or capabilities to perform those duties."

The court also clarified that the exclusive contract did not guarantee Min Hee Jin's position as ADOR’s CEO, adding, “Merely because NewJeans personally placed high trust in Min Hee Jin, it cannot be considered a significant contractual obligation to ensure her continued leadership.”

Citing ADOR’s continued efforts in album releases, fan meeting preparations, world tour planning, and event and advertisement opportunities, even without the group’s cooperation, the court found that the label remained capable of fulfilling its management responsibilities.

Previously, ADOR had also filed a provisional injunction to prevent the NewJeans members from conducting entertainment activities outside the agency. The court granted this injunction in March, a decision later appealed by NewJeans but ultimately dismissed. —Jade Veronique Yap/JCB, GMA Integrated News