The legal battle between K-pop girl group NewJeans and their agency Ador has taken a new turn. On June 17, the Seoul High Court officially dismissed NewJeans’ appeal against a previous court ruling that prohibited their independent activities.
The conflict began in November 2024, when NewJeans ended their contracts with Ador, claiming workplace harassment and unfair treatment. Afterward, the group started engaging in independent promotions and activities.
In January 2025, Ador responded by filing for an injunction to stop the members from signing advertising deals independently. The court granted the injunction in March, leading NewJeans to announce a hiatus after their appearance at ComplexCon Hong Kong to comply with the ruling.
Last month, the court took things further by approving indirect compulsory enforcement against the group. This means each member would have to pay 1 billion won (about US$727,000) for any unauthorized activity from now on.
As of now, NewJeans has not released a statement about the court’s latest decision. Meanwhile, the main lawsuit between Ador and NewJeans, which focuses on confirming the validity of their contracts, is still ongoing.
