Published: 14 Nov. 2025, 11:41

Updated: 14 Nov. 2025, 14:52

Girl group NewJeans members talk to reporters at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on March 7. [YONHAP]

Girl group NewJeans members talk to reporters at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on March 7. [YONHAP]

 
All five members of girl group NewJeans have chosen not to appeal a Seoul court’s upholding of their exclusive contracts with their agency, ADOR.
 
The members — Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein — initially said that they would appeal the ruling, yet reversed course on Wednesday and opted to return to the HYBE label.
 
With the appeal deadline passing at midnight Thursday, the court’s verdict is now final.
 
On Oct. 30, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division delivered its decision, stating that “the exclusive contracts signed on April 21, 2022, between the plaintiff [ADOR] and the defendants [NewJeans members] are valid.”
 
After almost a year of litigation, ADOR on Wednesday announced that its two youngest members — Haerin and Hyein — would return to the agency and uphold their exclusive contract, a decision they say they made “after long discussions among themselves and with ADOR.”
 
Shortly afterward, the remaining three members — Minji, Danielle and Hanni — issued a separate statement through their legal representative, released to the press, confirming their return as well and explaining that the delay was due to one member being overseas in Antarctica.
 
ADOR said on Thursday that it is currently arranging separate meetings with the members, saying, “We’ll do our best to ensure a successful discussion.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [[email protected]]