NJZ members speak out against returning to ADOR "We were not protected by ADOR"

On March 7, members of the group NJZ (NewJeans) tearfully expressed their desire not to return to their former agency, ADOR, citing a lack of protection and support. The emotional plea came during a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, where ADOR had filed for an injunction to maintain its status as the group’s agency and prevent the members from signing new advertising contracts.

The hearing, presided over by Judge Kim Ji Hyun of the 50th Civil Division, began at 10:30 AM. Present were ADOR CEO Kim Ju Young and all five members of NJZ. At the end of the proceedings, the members took the opportunity to voice their grievances.

Haerin, one of the members, stated, “I felt powerless seeing ADOR take no action against HYBE and other labels that undermined our achievements and tarnished our image.” She continued, “We signed a contract with ADOR expecting protection, but they repeatedly told us, ‘We’re sorry, but we can’t do anything,’ because they didn’t want to conflict with HYBE or other labels.” Haerin also expressed skepticism about ADOR’s promise to bring in new producers, saying it was hard to take seriously.

Danielle, another member, shared her struggles during the group’s comeback preparations in April 2024. “When the issue first arose, we were preparing for a comeback. With the comeback so close, I was overwhelmed with stress and worry. I couldn’t even focus on practice because I was so anxious and had no way to contact former CEO Min Hee Jin. I just held on, thinking about our fans every day.” she emphasized, “I really want to work with former CEO Min Hee Jin.”

Hyein broke down in tears as she spoke about the bond with former CEO Min. “No one cares for each member as sincerely as former CEO Min Hee Jin. The future we dreamed of and prepared for together was taken away without justification. As an idol and as a person, I feel lost and hopeless about what lies ahead.”

Hanni drew attention by suggesting that ADOR and HYBE’s actions, including lawsuits against former CEO Min and the injunction against NJZ, were driven by “fear of our potential.”

Minji, who endured a relatively long trainee period, shared her disappointment. “I extended my trainee period by a year for HYBE’s debut evaluation. I thought it was my last chance, but then I heard members from another group were being brought in. It was devastating to see my debut fall apart like that.”

NJZ has accused HYBE of breaking its promise to debut them as HYBE’s first girl group, instead allowing another label’s group, LE SSERAFIM, to debut first. They claim this constitutes discriminatory treatment.

As the court prepared to conclude the hearing, Danielle raised his hand to make a final statement. “If we return to ADOR, we won’t receive any protection. I’m 21 now, and I don’t want to go through another five years like this. No matter the outcome, I don’t want to stay with ADOR,” he said, tears streaming down his face.

The court has requested both ADOR and NJZ to submit additional evidence by March 14.

The conflict between ADOR and NJZ began in November 2023 when NJZ notified ADOR of their intent to terminate their exclusive contract and began independent activities under the name NJZ. The group is set to perform a new song at the 'ComplexCon' event in Hong Kong on March 23.

ADOR, however, maintains that the exclusive contract with NJZ is valid until July 31, 2029. The agency argues that unilateral claims of broken trust do not justify contract termination and has filed lawsuits to confirm the contract’s validity and seek injunctions against the group’s independent activities.