NewJeans Arrives in Hong Kong Amid Legal Battle with ADOR, Expresses Gratitude to Fans
NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein) departed for Hong Kong on March 22 through Incheon International Airport, evading press by entering through an alternative gate. Despite their quiet exit, they were photographed by the media and waved at cameras while keeping their faces partially covered with masks and hats. The group posted on the NJZ account, “Thank you Bunnies. We’ll be back safely.”
On March 23, they shared another update upon arrival: “Bunnies~ We arrived safely in Hong Kong. Let’s have fun together tomorrow! Thanks to you, even tough times become happy memories. We love you all. Fighting!”
The group will perform on March 23 at ComplexCon, a global street fashion and culture festival held at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.
Their appearance comes just days after the Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction filed by their current agency ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary. The ruling upheld ADOR’s status as the group’s management and banned the members from signing advertisement deals elsewhere for now.
Following the ruling, ADOR stated, “We are grateful for the court’s wise judgment and will continue to support NewJeans as their official agency.”
However, the members responded through the NJZ account, saying, “We respect the court’s decision, but it does not fully consider the complete breakdown of trust between us and ADOR.” They plan to appeal and present additional evidence in the main contract termination trial, scheduled for April 3.
The conflict began last November when the members announced they could no longer operate under ADOR, citing the agency’s failure to correct contract violations. ADOR responded by filing a lawsuit on December 3 to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract.
Despite ongoing tensions, NewJeans continues group activities and maintains communication with fans.