A South Korean court has blocked members of K-pop sensation NewJeans from pursuing independent projects, delivering a significant victory to their label ADOR in an escalating dispute that has captivated fans worldwide.
The Seoul Central District Court granted ADOR’s request for an injunction Friday, prohibiting the five-member group from engaging in commercial activities without the label’s consent. The ruling comes after NewJeans announced their departure from ADOR last November, rebranding themselves as “NJZ” with plans to release new music this month.
While the group has vowed to challenge the decision, saying on Instagram that the court failed to recognize their “complete breakdown of trust” toward ADOR, the ruling casts doubt on their scheduled activities.
The high-profile conflict stems from internal battles between executives at HYBE, ADOR’s parent company and home to global phenomenon BTS, and NewJeans’ former creative director. The band has expressed desire to continue working with their departed creative director, accusing ADOR of mistreatment—claims the company has consistently denied.
ADOR welcomed the court’s decision, affirming its position as “NewJeans’ exclusive agency” and pledging to support the group at their upcoming Hong Kong performance this Sunday.
