Just a week ago at the Korea Grand Music Awards 2024, NewJeans' HANNI left fans in shock with her emotional acceptance speech as the group received their award. "To be honest, we don't know how much longer we'll be NewJeans anymore," she said, a statement that seemed cryptic at the time. Little did anyone know, it was a subtle hint foreshadowing their decision to part ways with their entertainment company.
On November 28, NewJeans officially announced their departure from ADOR during an emergency press conference. The group revealed that their exclusive contracts with the company would terminate on November 29, citing unresolved conflicts with ADOR and HYBE.
NewJeans Leaves ADOR
 NewJeans Press Conference/ Foto: Istimewa |
The members expressed frustration over the company's unwillingness to address their concerns about better management practices and member protection. These tensions escalated following the resignation of Min Hee Jin, ADOR's former CEO and a key figure behind the group's success.
"We have faced mistreatment not just towards us but also towards our staff, countless preventions and contradictions, deliberate miscommunication, and manipulation regarding multiple areas," Hanni revealed during the emergency press conference. She went on to explain that these poor work ethics heavily influenced their decision to leave. "To continue working under a company with no intention of protecting NewJeans would only do us harm," she added.
ADOR, short for "All Doors One Room," is a South Korean entertainment label founded in 2021 and operates as a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation, the home of global K-pop groups like BTS and SEVENTEEN. The company was established under the leadership of Min Hee-jin, a former SM Entertainment creative director, who joined HYBE in 2019 as Chief Brand Officer and tasked with the creation of ADOR.
Earlier in November, NewJeans reportedly sent a legal notice to ADOR, demanding reforms within two weeks. When the company failed to respond, the group made the monumental decision not to renew their contracts. This departure marks a significant turning point for NewJeans, who debuted in July 2022 and quickly rose to international fame.
The news of NewJeans' departure was not shocking, perhaps many people have already expected for it to happen. It's not born overnight, the decision was a culmination of all things at once-with the beef between Min Hee Jin and Bang Si Hyuk, HYBE audit of its subsidiary, and Hanni testifying in the Korean Parliament on workplace bullying and artist treatment in the K-pop industry.
 NewJeans Officially Leaves ADOR/ Foto: Istimewa |
By parting ways with ADOR, the five members of NewJeans are stepping into a new chapter where they have the freedom to pursue their own endeavors. However, they are still bound by obligations to fulfill prior responsibilities within their contract. As a result, NewJeans will continue to fulfill their scheduled activities, including high-profile advertisement campaigns and brand endorsements arranged before November 28.
With their departure, it remains uncertain whether NewJeans will be allowed to continue using their trademarked name. "The essence that the five of us are NewJeans will not change at all, and we do not have any thoughts of giving up the name NewJeans," the Australian-Vietnamese singer further stated. "We will continue to work to secure the rights to the name NewJeans," she closed.
Whether they'd be NewJeans or not, Danielle once said, and I quote, NewJeans never dies.
(HAI/tim)