NewJeans has officially announced their departure from ADOR, ending their exclusive contract with the agency. Despite the heavy news, the group is still moving forward with their scheduled activities, demonstrating professionalism and commitment to their fans.
On the morning of November 29, members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein were seen at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, preparing to head to Japan for their planned events. The group arrived with serious expressions, reflecting the emotions from their emergency press conference held the day before. Except for Haerin, all the members wore sunglasses, emphasizing the weight of the situation.
However, once they met their fans, known as "Bunnies," the members showed warm smiles, assuring them that everything was stable and that they would continue with their plans. During their press conference on November 28, NewJeans made it clear that they would honor all previous commitments, including their advertising work, despite their ongoing dispute with ADOR.
Details from the Emergency Press Conference
On the afternoon of November 28, NewJeans held an emergency press conference in Gangnam, Seoul, where they revealed their decision to end their contract with ADOR.
Danielle addressed the situation, saying, "If the exclusive contract is terminated, we will no longer be ADOR's artists. We plan to move forward freely to pursue the activities we genuinely want. But we will honor all of our scheduled commitments, including our advertising deals. We want to thank our advertisers and assure them there’s no reason to worry."
Haerin also spoke out about rumors concerning penalties, stating, "I’ve seen articles about breach-of-contract fees. But we’ve been fulfilling our responsibilities and haven’t violated the contract. It’s ADOR and HYBE who have breached the contract, and that’s why we’re in this situation."
The members confirmed that their contract would officially end at midnight on November 29, and shared that the decision was made collectively by all five members. Danielle added, "We gave ADOR a deadline to address our concerns, but they haven’t shown any willingness to make changes."
Why NewJeans Decided to Leave ADOR
Hanni explained the reason behind their decision: "The reason we are leaving ADOR is simple. ADOR has a duty to protect us as artists, but they haven’t shown the will or ability to do that. Staying here would only cause more mental stress, and professionally, there’s nothing for us here. So, we believe it’s time to move on."
Minji added, "We will continue with all scheduled activities and hope to work with Min Hee-jin in the future." Hyein also shared, "While we haven’t discussed this with Min Hee-jin directly, we believe she understands our feelings."
Background on the Dispute
On September 13, the five members of NewJeans sent an official notice to ADOR, demanding that the agency address "serious violations of the exclusive contract" within 14 days or face termination. The notice also denied involvement in any baseless rumors about their families, warning that they would take action against those spreading falsehoods.
Their demands included an official apology from the HYBE manager who allegedly told Hanni to "ignore it," the removal of unauthorized photos and videos, the reinstatement of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, resolution of damages caused by mismanaged albums, and guarantees for NewJeans' future creative direction.
In response, ADOR issued a statement on September 14, saying, "We received the notice and are reviewing it. We will do our best to resolve the matter in a way that benefits everyone and continue working with the artists."
Despite the ongoing legal and contractual disputes, NewJeans remains focused on their career, keeping their promises to fans and staying committed to their scheduled activities.
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