NewJeans is not totally shutting the door on ADOR. At a July 24, 2025, court hearing in Seoul, the group’s legal team made a statement. They said the girls would consider staying with the agency, but only if things go back to the way they were before HYBE’s April 2024 audit. That moment led to the removal of Min Hee Jin as CEO, and ever since, the quintet has been in a legal fight with the company.
At the 3rd court hearing, NewJeans’ side presented a petition letter from the members:
— “Telling us to return to ADOR is like telling a school violence victim to go back to the place where the bully is. The employees who were with us have already left the company, and the… pic.twitter.com/GvWIHCycQa
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) July 24, 2025
The members say trust was broken, and the current version of ADOR is not the same company they signed up for. Their lawyers made it clear that if the old environment cannot be restored, the group wants their contracts terminated. But ADOR has long disagreed, and their legal team fired back, saying that internal management decisions are not a valid reason to end a contract. They also stressed that Min Hee Jin’s leadership was never part of the group’s legal agreement.
ADOR talks about NewJeans terminates their contract:
"If this happens, ADOR can no longer foster talent, and kpop could face decline. For the members, for ADOR, and for the kpop industry, their presence is essential." pic.twitter.com/v6d8PJNnpy
— About Music (@AboutMusicYT) July 24, 2025
Things seem to be reaching a point of no return, but there’s still hope for NewJeans. A closed-door mediation is set for August 14, 2025. If both sides can reach a compromise, they might avoid a court ruling. Otherwise, the final decision is coming on October 30, 2025. Until then, fans are left wondering if NewJeans will stay or go, and whether ADOR will change enough to win them back.
