"Supporting the Decision to Return to ADOR... Wishing for Their Happiness"
Min Heejin, former CEO of ADOR, stated that she respects the decision of all NewJeans members to return to ADOR, describing it as "a choice made after deep consideration." She emphasized, "NewJeans must remain as a five-member group," and expressed her support for the members' return.
On the 13th, through an official statement, Min said, "The decision the members made yesterday to return together must have come after much deliberation and discussion," adding, "I respect and support their choice."
She continued, "I can start anew anywhere, but I believe that under any circumstances, NewJeans must be preserved as a group of five," and added, "I hope the members become stronger and NewJeans becomes an even better group in the future. Above all, I wish happiness for all five members."
She also addressed the ongoing legal dispute between herself and HYBE. Min explained, "Multiple lawsuits have been ongoing simultaneously, making this a difficult period for all of us," and clarified, "The lawsuit between myself and HYBE is a separate matter, unrelated to NewJeans." She added, "I am doing my utmost as an individual, and I hope the truth will be revealed."
Currently, all NewJeans members have expressed their intention to return and are complying with their exclusive contracts with ADOR. This comes about a year after the members declared the termination of their contracts in November last year, claiming "breach of exclusive contract" by ADOR.
NewJeans debuted as a five-member group in 2022 and quickly rose to become a leading K-pop group with numerous hit songs such as "Attention," "Hype Boy," and "Ditto." However, tensions surfaced last year when HYBE dismissed Min Heejin, the founder and producer of NewJeans, from her position as CEO of ADOR. The members demanded Min's reinstatement, but when this was not accepted, they held a press conference and announced the termination of their exclusive contracts.
In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contracts and also requested an injunction to prohibit the members from engaging in independent activities until the main ruling. The court, in both the injunction and the first trial of the main lawsuit, ruled in favor of ADOR, stating, "It is difficult to recognize ADOR's fault."
Following the ruling, Haerin and Hyein, after discussions with their families, accepted the court's decision and chose to resume activities with ADOR. Subsequently, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle also expressed their intention to return to ADOR. However, the company issued a cautious statement, saying, "There are still unresolved matters regarding the return of the three members, and we are currently verifying the facts."
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