K-pop sensation NewJeans has decided to return as a full group to ADOR without former general producer Min Hee Jin. In a notable development, the members chose not to appeal the first-instance ruling that upheld the validity of their exclusive contracts. Industry insiders revealed to Newsis on the 14th that members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein did not submit any appeal documents by the midnight deadline, effectively finalizing the court’s initial decision confirming the contracts as valid.
Last month on the 30th, the court ruled in favor of ADOR in the lawsuit seeking confirmation of the contracts’ validity. Although the members initially expressed their intention to appeal immediately after the verdict, the situation shifted when Haerin and Hyein announced on the 12th that they would return to ADOR. Minji, Hanni, and Danielle soon followed, signaling their willingness to rejoin and leading industry experts to conclude that an appeal was unlikely.
ADOR CEO Lee Do Kyung and parent company HYBE are now confirming the return intentions of Minji, Hanni, and Danielle, holding both group and individual discussions to finalize the details of their comeback. Industry sources suggest that once negotiations are complete, NewJeans may release their first full-length album in the latter half of next year.
Min Hee Jin, who recently launched her new agency Okay Records, has publicly supported the group’s decision to return to ADOR. She emphasized that her ongoing legal dispute with HYBE’s management is separate from NewJeans’ career path.
