WRITER – PRANSHU PATEL
Editor- Arpita Jena
The group NewJeans is a South Korean girl group created by ADOR, “a secondary of HYBE Entity”. They officially introduced in July 2022 and rapidly earned massive fame for their raw “Y2K- inspired style”, catchy songs, and minimalist concepts. The group includes five members: Hyein, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Minji. Known for hits like “Attention”, “Hype Boy” and “Ditto”. NewJeans is praised for breaking traditional K-pop molds and appealing to both Korean and international fans.
The NewJeans dispute originated from an internal conflict between ADOR CEO Min Hee-Jin and HYBE, the parent corporation of ADOR. Min Hee-Jin, prior creative lead of SM Entertainment, was praised for NewJeans’ unique concept and marketing. In stakes, HYBE holds 80% of ADOR, while Min Hee-Jin retains 18% and is the face of the label.
The dispute started when HYBE’s plan to audit ADOR (April 2024) after suspecting Min Hee-Jin of aiming to take over the organization and oust HYBE’s influence. The alleged leaking of internal emails showed Min discussing ways to take over ADOR without HYBE’s involvement. She openly charged HYBE with replicating NewJeans’ concept with another girl group, challenging her influence over artistic direction and even intending to remove her from the position. In response, HYBE claimed that she breached trust and was strategizing an unapproved leadership shift of ADOR. They launched an official investigation and legal proceedings.
Min Hee-Jin filed an injunction to block HYBE from removing her as CEO, arguing she was being punished for whistleblowing. On May 30, 2024, the Seoul Central District Court permitted an injunction hindering HYBE from declining Min Hee-Jin as CEO of ADOR. The court found insufficient evidence of breach of trust, allowing Min to retain her position temporarily.
Later, the court dismissed Min Hee-Jin’s application to be reinstated as CEO of ADOR, marking a significant turn in the ongoing dispute.
After their request was rejected, the group stated the end of their elite contract with ADOR on November 28, 2024, alleging contract violations concerning performer rights. They declared intentions to promote independently and fight for brand ownership.
The members rebranded as “NJZ” and planned independent activities. However, ADOR filed an injunction to prevent them from conducting activities outside the label. The court imposed a restriction, preventing them from promoting outside the label. Despite filing an objection, the court upheld the decision in favor of ADOR on April 16,2025. On May 30, 2025, the court ordered each member to compensate ADOR for any unauthorized activities performed from that date onwards.
NewJeans accused ADOR and HYBE of mistreatment, including workplace harassment and mismanagement. Both companies denied these claims.
The current status as of June 2025, NewJeans has refused settlement offers, stating that trust has been irrevocably broken. A follow-up court session has been set for July 24, 2025.
The dispute caused public division between HYBE and ADOR. Fans were concerned about NewJeans’ future, especially with comeback activities scheduled during the conflict.
[Credit:Indiatimes]
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