NewJeans Responds to ADOR Statement: Contract Declared Null and Void

On November 28, the popular girl group NewJeans convened an urgent press conference to announce the termination of their contract with ADOR. The group cited a lack of capability and intent on ADOR’s part to meet their obligations as the primary reasons for their decision.

Notably, NewJeans asserted that they would not be liable for the contract termination fee, which has been estimated to exceed 400 million USD.

In response to the claims made during the press conference, both ADOR and its parent company, HYBE, maintained that NewJeans’ contract remains valid. ADOR’s CEO, Ju Young Kim, followed up with a statement expressing a desire for an in-person meeting to address the situation, claiming that the agency had made significant efforts to accommodate NewJeans’ needs.

However, on November 29, NewJeans issued a follow-up statement disputing ADOR’s assertions and reaffirming that they would sever ties with the agency.

Official Statement from NewJeans

“Hello, this is Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.

As of November 29, 2024, we have officially terminated our exclusive contract with ADOR and will proceed with our activities independently, free from the constraints of HYBE and ADOR.

It is ADOR’s responsibility, as our agency, to manage us faithfully and safeguard our interests. We issued a final request on November 13, 2024, for ADOR to address breaches of contract; however, despite a 14-day grace period, ADOR did not comply, leaving the issues unresolved.

In recent months, we reached out multiple times for remediation, but ADOR’s responses were characterized only by evasiveness and lack of action. It has become evident that a sincere and respectful dialogue was not achievable under the current circumstances at ADOR.

Our request for rectification included specified actions that ADOR was to undertake. Nevertheless, no efforts were made during business hours to resolve these matters, making compliance increasingly impossible as deadlines approached. Consequently, we felt compelled to hold our press conference. ADOR’s claim regarding our waiting for their response is misleading.

We hereby notify ADOR of the termination of our exclusive contract, which is due to their failure to rectify breaches of obligations within the required time frame. This termination aligns with the terms of our contract, and we have all signed the relevant termination documents. Effective November 29, 2024, our contract is null and void, allowing us to operate freely without the need for legal injunctions.

We have honored all contractual obligations as artists under ADOR, and our termination is a direct consequence of ADOR’s failures; therefore, we are not liable for any associated penalties.

We hope that our decision to end this contract will not adversely impact others. We remain committed to fulfilling all obligations tied to agreements made by ADOR with external parties prior to our termination date.

This resolution comes after profound reflection. We can no longer remain with ADOR due to their inability to protect their artists’ interests. Continuing this contract would only lead to further mental distress. We’ve suffered significant emotional strain from the numerous misguided narratives circulated by the media. We sincerely hope such situations will not persist post-termination.

We are dedicated to continuing our journey in music and appreciate your support as we move forward.

Thank you.”