Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has voiced her support for the five members of NewJeans, emphasizing that the essence lies in their age and urging others not to drag the young artists into the controversy.
On Saturday, attorney Noh Young Hee shared a statement from Min during a live broadcast on her YouTube channel, “Youngheefriends.”
In her statement, Min noted that she had envisioned NewJeans as a five-member group from the very beginning. She said every detail, including their visuals, sound, style, and choreography, had been built on the idea of “five.”
She continued that NewJeans functions at its best with all five members, explaining that their individual colors and musical identities come together to form a complete picture. With the members now returning, she emphasized that they should be protected rather than caught in unnecessary conflict or speculation.
Min added that although the core issue may be directed at her, the children should be kept out of it, saying they need protection, not exploitation. She concluded that NewJeans exists as a team of five.
Previously, on Wednesday, ADOR announced that Haerin and Hyein had expressed their intention to remain with the company. ADOR stated that after discussions with their families and careful consideration of the court’s ruling, the two members decided to honor their exclusive contracts.
Later that night, Minji, Hani, and Danielle also announced their decision to return to ADOR. They noted that one member was currently in Antarctica, which caused a delay in communication, and that due to ADOR’s lack of response, they had to release a separate statement. ADOR responded that it had taken note of the three members’ intentions.
On the 13th, ADOR further stated that it was arranging individual meetings with the NewJeans members and would work toward productive discussions.
The conflict between NewJeans and ADOR began in November 2024. After Min Hee Jin resigned and left the company, the group held an emergency press conference on November 28, 2024, announcing their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts at midnight on November 29 and pursue independent activities.
In December, ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of those exclusive contracts. A month later, the company requested a preliminary injunction to prevent the members from carrying out independent activities such as signing advertising deals without ADOR’s approval until the court issued its first ruling on the contract dispute. The court granted the request.
On October 30, the court ruled in favor of ADOR in the first trial, affirming that the exclusive contracts remain valid.
