ADORE vs. NewJeans: Mediation Fails, Court to Rule on Contract Dispute

The legal battle between K-pop girl group NewJeans and their agency ADOR has reached a critical juncture, as mediation efforts have officially broken down, paving the way for a court ruling.

On November 11th, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Department 41 held the second mediation session regarding ADOR's lawsuit to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the five NewJeans members. The session, lasting approximately 20 minutes, concluded without a settlement.

Following the unsuccessful first mediation session last month, this second attempt also yielded no agreement. With both parties unable to find common ground, the court has scheduled a final verdict for October 30th, placing the resolution of this prolonged dispute in the hands of the judiciary.

The conflict ignited when NewJeans claimed their contracts were breached by ADOR in November of last year, leading them to pursue independent activities. ADOR, however, countered by filing a lawsuit to affirm the contracts' validity and had previously obtained a preliminary injunction from the court, prohibiting the members' unauthorized solo endeavors pending the main lawsuit's outcome. The core of the ongoing litigation revolves around whether the exclusive contracts are indeed valid and if grounds for termination exist.

NewJeans, debuting in July 2022, is a five-member multinational girl group that quickly gained massive popularity for their unique concepts and music.

They are known for hit songs such as 'Hype Boy' and 'Attention'.

This legal dispute has significant implications for the group's future activities and career trajectory.