As legal tensions escalate between NewJeans and their agency ADOR, the parents of all five members — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein — have issued a joint statement strongly denying reports of internal conflict and division among them.
On April 4th, the parents released their official position via their legal representative, Shin & Kim LLC, and the group’s Instagram account. The statement responded to recent media reports suggesting a rift had formed among the members’ families during the ongoing lawsuit with HYBE and ADOR.
“Claims that there is division among the members’ parents are completely false,” they stated. “All five members share a firm stance that they cannot return to HYBE. This decision was made after careful discussions within each family, and from the beginning, the members promised they would only take legal action if all five were in agreement.”
The statement emphasized that the group remains united both emotionally and legally. “Despite the current challenges, the five members continue to meet frequently and maintain a strong friendship. As parents, this situation has brought us even closer as well,” they wrote. “We find the baseless rumors about family discord and member withdrawal not only false but also deeply regrettable.”
Speculation had intensified after court proceedings referenced a change in parental custody for one of the underage members. Many online commenters assumed Haerin’s mother was against the lawsuit, especially after it was revealed she was absent from the legal team representing her daughter. However, the parents dismissed this: “That assumption is completely untrue. Haerin and her family are fully aligned, and rumors about their personal matters are also false.”
The statement clarified that any custody-related decisions concerned another minor member, presumably Hyein (born in 2008), and requested the public to refrain from speculation: “The custody issue involves a separate family and was done to respect the wishes of the minor. It should not be maliciously connected to the legal dispute with ADOR.”
Accusing HYBE and ADOR of media manipulation, the parents added: “We find it unacceptable that a company which should be founded on trust is weaponizing private family matters to influence public opinion. As parents, we cannot send our children back to such a place.”
The legal conflict continues as NewJeans challenges a court injunction that restricted them from promoting under the name "NJZ" following ADOR's successful request to maintain its position as their official management company. The first hearing to contest the injunction is scheduled for April 9th, following a separate hearing held on April 3rd concerning the validity of their exclusive contracts.
The dispute has sparked national interest, with fans and industry watchers closely monitoring what may become one of K-pop's most consequential artist-agency legal battles.
Statement from the Parents of the NewJeans Members:
Hello,
We are the parents of the members.
The report circulated by some media outlets that there is a "rift among the members' parents" is completely false. We are issuing this statement to correct that misunderstanding.
All five members hold a firm stance that they cannot return to HYBE. This decision was made after thorough discussions with their respective families. From the beginning, the members promised they would only pursue legal action if all five were in agreement. As such, they share deep trust in one another and remain united.
Even now, the members maintain this unified stance, and we as their parents fully respect and unwaveringly support our children’s wishes. Despite the difficult situation, the five members continue to meet frequently and maintain their strong friendship. We, their parents, have also grown closer through regular communication amid these challenges. Therefore, we are both dismayed and regretful to see baseless rumors such as family conflict or member withdrawal being reported as news.
At first, we felt there was no value in responding, suspecting these stories were being intentionally spread to cause division. However, since the situation has escalated to the point where specific members’ names are being mentioned, we now issue this official statement.
The rumors about Haerin are completely untrue. Haerin and her parents share a clearly unified stance. Speculations about their private family matters are also entirely false. These groundless and unilateral assumptions have caused severe mental distress to both the member and her family.
The parental authority adjustment that was carried out in respect of a minor member’s wishes concerns another member. In that household as well, the child and the mother have a firm and unified stance. We respectfully request that the public refrain from making speculative comments about this family matter as well.
We want to make it absolutely clear: every family is fully respecting and supporting their own child.
Article 10 of the Family Litigation Act states that “with regard to cases that are being handled or have been handled by the family court, no facts or photographs that might identify the individual—such as their name, age, occupation, or appearance—may be published in newspapers, magazines, or other publications, or broadcast.” Furthermore, Article 72 stipulates criminal penalties for violating this prohibition on reporting. We ask that everyone refrain from making or spreading reckless speculation about personal information.
Parental custody is a private family matter. We strongly hope that this issue will not be maliciously exploited by linking it to the legal dispute with ADOR.
The company, which should be built on trust, is now using members’ personal family matters for media manipulation. As parents, we cannot send our children back to such a place.
ADOR and HYBE, under their current leadership, have never once shown us any sign of trust, and that remains unchanged to this day.
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