NewJeans has failed to challenge a court injunction preventing the K-pop group from pursuing independent activities without approval from HYBE-owned label ADOR, effectively ending their appeals process after missing a deadline.
The group, which has performed under the name NJZ since February, did not file an appeal to South Korea’s Supreme Court by the Tuesday (June 24) deadline following the Seoul High Court’s June 17 decision, Allkpop reported.
The High Court had upheld a lower court’s injunction sought by ADOR. The ruling prevents NewJeans members from signing advertising contracts or pursuing separate music activities without company approval.
Under Korean law, parties have seven days to appeal appellate court rulings, according to Korean media.
The appellate court wrote: “an individual cannot unilaterally terminate or exit a contract based on subjective reasoning,” Allkpop reported. The court rejected NewJeans’ argument that ADOR failed in its production obligations, stating that the company had actively sought to retain Min Hee-jin in a producing role despite her dismissal as CEO.
Local media reported in late August last year that Min declined an offer to continue as the producer of NewJeans, just days after she was replaced as head of ADOR. Min rejected the offer, citing “unreasonable” contract terms.
The court has now concluded that ADOR’s decision to remove Min did not constitute valid grounds for NewJeans to nullify their exclusive contracts. The judges also concluded that there was not enough evidece to prove a breach of contract, Allkpop reported.
A day after the High Court’s ruling, ADOR issued a statement to MBW saying: “We sincerely appreciate the court’s decision. We hope that this ruling will serve as an opportunity for the members to return to their rightful place as NewJeans and resume their activities.”
“As they approach their third debut anniversary next month, ADOR is committed to providing full support for the artists’ further growth and success.”
The dispute between NewJeans and ADOR traces back to November 2024 when NewJeans unilaterally declared their exclusive contract with ADOR terminated. ADOR responded by filing for injunctive relief, securing the March order that prohibited external advertising deals and independent promotion.
The High Court’s ruling further escalates the tension between ADOR and NewJeans. On May 30, the court warned NewJeans that they would be ordered to pay 1 billion won (USD $734,000) per member for each unauthorized activity outside their agency’s control, potentially totaling 5 billion won ($3.7 million) if all five members perform together.
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