A South Korean court has ruled against chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans which had sought to cut ties with its record label Ador. The court said the band, which had renamed themselves NJZ and began organizing their own appearances, must not conduct any independent activities — from making music to signing advertising deals. Earlier last year, NewJeans said that they were leaving Ador, after accusing them of mistreatment. Ador subsequently sued to have NewJeans' contracts upheld and, after accusing the group of trying to sign independent deals without its approval, filed an injunction against them in January. The group has said that they will challenge Friday's decision. The court's ruling casts some uncertainty around the release of the group's new song, slated for Sunday. It also means they will now face difficulty re-debuting under their new name, NJZ, without facing severe financial penalties for breach of contract. NewJeans and Ador have been embroiled in a dramatic dispute since August 2024, when Hybe, the parent company of Ador, allegedly forced out NewJeans' mentor, Min Hee-Jin. The band issued an ultimatum demanding that Min should be restored – and, when Hybe refused, went public with a number of complaints against the label, including the claim it had deliberately undermined their careers. One of the group's members, Hanni, also alleged that she suffered workplace harassment while working with the label. In a press conference in November, NewJeans announced their departure from the company, saying Hybe and Ador had lost the right to represent them as artists. On Friday, the Seoul court ruled that NewJeans' claims did not "sufficiently prove that Ador violated their significant duty as part of their contract", adding that the music label had upheld "most of its duty including payment". "If [NewJeans] unilaterally terminate the contract, Ador would suffer greatly. And if [NewJeans] begins activity under a new name, it could severely damage not only the brand of NewJeans but the reputation of Ador," the court's statement reads. The group says they respect the ruling but has argued that they did not have sufficient opportunity to fully present their case to the court. "We plan to challenge today's decision... during which we will raise additional legal issues and submit further supporting evidence," they responded in a statement just hours after the ruling. "Regardless... we can no longer remain with a management that has disrespected our identities and undermined our achievements." A lawsuit regarding the validity of the two parties' contract termination is still underway. The five band members – Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein – have over the past few months continued to assert their independence, creating a new Instagram account under the name "jeanzforfree". They have also said they would fight to keep their name, and their career, and would remain "NewJeans at heart" even if they lost the fight against Ador. NewJeans were considered one of the brightest new bands in K-Pop, thanks to a playful blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies. In 2023, they were the eighth biggest-selling act in the world. Last year, they picked up a nomination for best group at the MTV Awards. — BBC
