NewJeans appoints legal representative to continue fight with Ador

The dispute between K-pop girl group NewJeans and their agency Ador appears far from reaching a resolution.

“We intend to clearly expose the wrongdoings of Ador and Hybe through legal procedures and to fight confidently in court to reveal the truth,” NewJeans said Thursday on its social media account.

The group has enlisted Shin & Kim LLC as its legal representative to counter Ador’s recent legal actions. This follows the members’ declaration in November of their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts with the agency.

“Since Ador and Hybe (Ador’s parent company) have chosen Kim & Chang as their legal representative, we believe it is essential to engage a law firm capable of addressing the wrongdoings and issues committed by Ador and Hybe,” NewJeans said. “Given the expedited process of the injunction, Shin & Kim LLC, which is already familiar with the situation, is the most appropriate choice.”

Shin & Kim LLC also represents former Ador CEO and NewJeans producer, Min Hee-jin.

In December, Ador filed a lawsuit to confirm the validity of its exclusive contract with the group. Earlier this month, the agency applied for an injunction to preserve its status as NewJeans’ management agency and to prevent the group from signing external advertising contracts.

In Thursday's statement, NewJeans firmly stated they had no intention of returning to Ador.

“We want to make it clear that we have no plans to return to Ador and Hybe, organizations where even the most basic trust cannot be expected. After terminating our contracts, we tried to fulfill our remaining obligations amicably to avoid causing harm to any involved parties. However, Ador and Hybe’s unjust actions and refusal to cooperate have led us to take this matter to court,” the group said.

NewJeans also accused Ador and Hybe of neglecting their responsibilities as an agency.

“Throughout our activities, there were frequent disruptions and instances of neglect. They effectively abandoned us and sought to replace us, disguising their intentions under the term ‘long-term leave,’” the group alleged.

The group also claimed that Ador and Hybe were behind public criticism directed at the members.

“The negative narratives spread through the media and YouTube commentary channels mostly involve information that could only come from Ador and Hybe. This places them at the center of the ongoing controversy,” NewJeans said.

The members further accused the agency of harassment, including covertly meeting with their parents to manipulate or divide them.

“While publicly asking us to return, they have continued to harass and attack us behind the scenes. They have used underhanded tactics to defame us, sow discord, and manipulate public opinion with false information. We urge them to resolve this matter truthfully and fairly, rather than resorting to cowardly and unethical methods,” the group said.

In a separate announcement, NewJeans stated that they are accepting suggestions for a new name for group promotions.

“We ask for your active participation in the comments,” the group posted.

The announcement quickly attracted attention, with over 16,000 comments from fans, known as Bunnies, within 50 minutes of posting.