ADOR’s response is still up in the air.
On November 12, KST, all NJZ (NewJeans) members expressed their willingness to return to ADOR, but the company only acknowledged the return of Haerin and Hyein. For the remaining members, it was stated that they had to make their intentions public through the media without the label’s acknowledgement, as they were still in talks.
Amid this situation, industry insiders are predicting that ADOR may choose not to take Minji, Danielle, and Hanni back. Legal experts opined that ADOR has enough legal grounds to terminate its exclusive contracts with the three members.
On November 12, the three members announced their return to ADOR through the law firm Hanil. However, ADOR’s response afterward raised eyebrows, as the agency stated it was still “confirming (the three members’) true intentions.” This marked changed in the agency’s attitude toward reuniting all five members has sparked pessimistic views in the industry about whether the three members will be able to resume their activities under the label.
An industry figure pointed out that Minji and Hanni’s “behavior” during the emergency press conference and the National Assembly audit likely had a very negative impact on their relationship with ADOR. “It’s uncertain whether ADOR will accept such a one-sided return announcement made without sufficient discussion,” they added.
Legal professionals, on the other hand, feel that ADOR has ample grounds to terminate its contracts with the three members. In that case, all three members would also likely be liable for damages related to the contract termination. Considering that NewJeans was at the peak of its popularity when the legal conflict took place, the compensation owed to ADOR could be too significant for the members to handle individually.
Attorney Noh Jong Eon of Hanil Law Firm explained, “The meaning of the first-trial ruling in the lawsuit seeking confirmation of the contract’s validity is not that the contract must be maintained. Rather, it means that if the contract is broken, the responsibility lies with NewJeans, not ADOR. Based on this, ADOR can notify the three members of contract termination and demand that they take responsibility for it.”
Attorney Jang Sung Soo from Law Firm The All also echoed a similar opinion, adding, “What the NewJeans members have done so far could be seen as causing a breakdown in the relationship of trust. There is a significant possibility that ADOR may choose not to accept all three members back.”
Meanwhile, all five members of NJZ have chosen not to appeal the first trial’s ruling in their lawsuit against ADOR. You can read more about it here:
NJZ (NewJeans) Fails To Appeal Lawsuit, Triggers Massive Backlash