Ador has filed a lawsuit in the Seoul Central District Court to enforce its contract with NewJeans following the K-pop group's attempt to terminate their agreement. This development comes amid an ongoing dispute between former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and Hybe.

Key Points:

• NewJeans announced their departure from Hybe/Ador last week after issuing a two-week ultimatum demanding Min Hee-jin's reinstatement
• Ador claims the contract remains valid until 2029 and cannot be unilaterally terminated
• Min Hee-jin denies orchestrating NewJeans' departure and has filed defamation complaints against former Hybe executives
• The defamation claims allege illegal obtaining and manipulation of private conversations
• The Korea Management Association has expressed support for Ador's position

Ador's Statement: "Although we did not wish to seek legal intervention, we decided it was necessary to clarify that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims of one side. We aim to protect the trust-based relationships that have driven the growth of the K-pop industry."

Background Context:

• The dispute began when Ador accused Min of attempting to separate NewJeans from the company
• Min claims Hybe undermined NewJeans by debuting a similar group, Illit, through Belift Lab
• Min was removed from her position in late November
• NewJeans' members have expressed strong support for Min throughout the dispute

In a separate but related development, Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk is reportedly under investigation by the Financial Supervisory Service regarding alleged collusion with private equities before Hybe's 2020 IPO.

The case continues to develop as industry observers await NewJeans' next move and the court's decision on the contract dispute.

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