NewJeans Faces Total Activity Ban: Will They Pay ₩600 Billion KRW or Return to ADOR?
On June 17, the Seoul High Court Civil Division 25-2 officially dismissed NewJeans‘ members’ appeal against an injunction that prohibits them from engaging in any entertainment activities or advertising contracts without agency ADOR‘s approval.
TheNewJeans declared their contract with ADOR void in November 2024, citing breaches, and rebranded as NJZ while continuing public activities. ADOR countered with a lawsuit and injunction, both upheld by the court, with NewJeans‘ appeals twice rejected.
The court’s decision could significantly impact the ongoing lawsuit between NewJeans and ADOR, as well as disputes involving former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE. It noted that Min Hee-jin had tried to remove NewJeans from HYBE‘s control and restructure ADOR independently, violating contractual terms.
Claims involving HYBE‘s trust issues, ILLIT plagiarism, or a BELIFT manager insulting Hanni were dismissed as irrelevant.
Particularly concerning was the group’s appearance at Hong Kong ComplexCon, done without ADOR‘s consent. The court stated that such acts could cause public misunderstanding that the exclusive contract was void and severely damage NewJeans‘ brand.
Arguments about the members’ potential inactivity were also rejected. The court noted, “This is a consequence of their own refusal to fulfill a valid contract.”
In short, NewJeans is now banned from:
- Music writing, producing, and performing
- Broadcast appearances
- Endorsements and commercial activity
- Any entertainment work without ADOR‘s approval
The most likely path is to wait for the main lawsuit ruling, though this could take months or even years. Legal experts believe it will be difficult for NewJeans to reverse this ruling without new, compelling evidence.
Another possibility though unlikely is returning to ADOR. The members have stated that they’ve “crossed a river of no return,” but ADOR has left the door open to negotiations. Still, it remains uncertain whether ADOR would fully support them again.
Lastly, NewJeans could choose to terminate the contract and pay a penalty. The estimated breach fee ranges from ₩400 to ₩600 billion KRW, based on past revenue and remaining contract duration. If they wait until the lawsuit concludes, that amount could shrink to hundreds of billions of won.
The coming months will be critical in determining the fate of one of K-pop’s biggest groups.