NewJeans announce hiatus amid legal dispute

K-pop girl group NewJeans has declared a temporary suspension of activities after a court ruling curtailed their independent promotions amid a legal battle with their agency, ADOR. The agency expressed regret over the group’s decision and stated its intention to communicate directly with the members.

During their performance at ComplexCon held on March 23 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, the NewJeans members told the audience near the end of the show, “Today’s performance may be our last for a while. We will halt all activities in accordance with the court’s decision.”

Their statement is widely interpreted as a refusal to return to ADOR while acknowledging the court’s decision, which restricts them from pursuing independent activities. On March 21, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Agreement Division 50, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, approved ADOR’s request for an injunction to maintain its contractual rights as the group's agency and to block the members from signing individual advertising deals.

In November of last year, the members of NewJeans notified ADOR of their intent to terminate their exclusive contracts. In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of the contracts' validity and an injunction to prevent the members from engaging in solo promotions before a verdict was reached.

Notably, during the Hong Kong performance, the members refrained from using both the name “NewJeans” and the newly introduced alias “NJZ.” However, the LED screens at the venue displayed the acronym “NJZ.” The members also chose not to perform any of NewJeans’ past hits, instead showcasing solo stages and their new track “Pit Stop.” Although ADOR had representatives at the venue, they reportedly did not contact the members.

“We regret the unilateral announcement of a hiatus despite the court ruling,” ADOR said. “We hope to meet with the members soon to discuss the future.” Following the court’s decision, representatives of the NewJeans members stated that the injunction is only a provisional measure, indicating plans to challenge the ruling through further legal proceedings.


사지원 기자 4g1@donga.com