[Dispatch = Kim So-jung, Park Hye-jin] 2 hours and 5 minutes. NewJeans (NJZ) and ADOR each had 40 minutes to present their arguments. NewJeans' side used 36 minutes for their statement, reserving the final 4 minutes for an emotional appeal, with members shedding tears. ADOR spent 10 minutes on their argument and 30 minutes on rebuttals.
NewJeans' representatives prepared 93 PowerPoint slides to explain their claims of trust breakdown, citing over 13 reasons. ADOR countered with a total of 229 slides, refuting each claim one by one.
On the morning of March 7, the Seoul Central District Court's 50th Civil Division (Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon) held a hearing on ADOR's injunction request against NewJeans. The request aimed to preserve ADOR's managerial rights and prohibit independent advertisement contracts by NewJeans.
Although the hearing did not require the artists' attendance, all five NewJeans members appeared in black suits, carrying pens and notebooks.
ADOR initially filed the injunction against NewJeans on January 6, seeking to prevent them from independently signing advertisement contracts or engaging in solo activities. On February 11, ADOR expanded the request to restrict not only NewJeans' advertising deals but also their singing and other related activities.
NewJeans' side argued:
"ADOR is ultimately blocking NJZ from engaging in any activities at all."
ADOR countered:
"The intention is not to restrict their activities but to ensure they operate within contractual agreements."
The court hearing summarized the key 10 points of dispute between the two sides.
1. "Ignore Her" Incident
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
A Belift Lab manager allegedly told ILLIT members to "just ignore her" in front of Hanni. This led to three ILLIT members passing by without greeting her, with some even mocking her verbally and through gestures.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
Hanni herself told Min Hee-jin that all three ILLIT members greeted her. It was Min who first raised the issue, asking:
"Did your manager tell you not to greet her?"
To which Hanni replied, "I'm not sure." ADOR claims this incident was fabricated to create grounds for contract termination.
🔹 NewJeans' Rebuttal:
A video exists showing the ILLIT members not greeting Hanni, but it was never preserved or officially acknowledged. NewJeans' team suspects Kim Joo-young and Lee Jae-sang selectively deleted or stored the footage.
🔹 ADOR's Counter:
"There was no deletion—and no reason to delete it. Hanni herself didn't see it as a big issue. If necessary, both sides could have reviewed the footage together."
2. "New-AR" Issue
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
A HYBE Music Industry Report from May 10, 2023, suggested dropping the "New" from "New-AR" (a term encompassing NewJeans, ILLIT, and LE SSERAFIM). They argue this was a strategic move to sideline NewJeans and replace them.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
The "A" in New-AR actually stood for IVE, not ILLIT, as ILLIT hadn't debuted yet. The report wasn't HYBE's official stance but rather an internal discussion.
🔹 NewJeans' Rebuttal:
HYBE deliberately excluded NewJeans from the leading 4th-gen girl group category while favoring LE SSERAFIM. They also claim ILLIT was launched as a direct imitation of NewJeans to dilute its brand value.
🔹 ADOR's Counter:
The report's author wasn't a decision-maker. Min Hee-jin accessed this document at least 7 times in October 2024, potentially twisting its meaning to fit her argument.
3. "1.02 Million Sales" Controversy
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
A HYBE PR executive called a journalist to downplay NewJeans' album sales, saying,
"NewJeans isn't performing well in Japan."
🔹 ADOR's Response:
The executive was simply clarifying numbers, correcting that the 1.02 million album sales were global figures, not solely from Japan.
🔹 NewJeans' Rebuttal:
The executive also reportedly said,
"NewJeans has been gaslighted,"
which NewJeans interpreted as an insult.
🔹 ADOR's Counter:
"The term was used in an industry context, discussing how excessive reliance on a single producer could be problematic. Regardless, the executive was reprimanded and removed from PR duties."
4. ILLIT's Similarities to NewJeans
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
ILLIT was deliberately modeled after NewJeans to replace them. The fashion, photoshoots, debut marketing, and choreography are all similar. Even HYBE employees admitted to referencing NewJeans.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
"While some elements may seem similar, it's common in the industry. Even Min Hee-jin herself admitted 'plagiarism is a grey area'."
5. Leaked Trainee Footage
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
Unreleased pre-debut footage of NewJeans was leaked without their consent. The source was allegedly HYBE or Source Music.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
ADOR requested three times for Dispatch to remove videos, successfully getting two deleted. Over 200 unauthorized clips were also taken down.
6. Dolphin Kidnappers Dispute
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
Dolphin Kidnappers, the creative team behind 'Ditto,' 'OMG,' and 'ETA,' played a crucial role in NewJeans' rise. ADOR sabotaged this relationship under the pretext of protecting NewJeans' intellectual property.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
The company owns the rights to music video content, and Dolphin Kidnappers violated contract terms by using NewJeans' images without written permission. Even Apple, an advertising partner, complained about unauthorized usage.
7. Advertisement Deals
🔹 ADOR's Claim:
NewJeans publicly stated they would honor existing contracts, but they refused to sign off on certain agreements. They also approached luxury brands asking them to exclude ADOR from negotiations.
🔹 NewJeans' Response:
(No direct rebuttal was provided.)
8. Allegations of Contract Tampering
🔹 ADOR's Claim:
Min Hee-jin plotted to take NewJeans away from HYBE as early as March 2024, using parents to pressure HYBE. She was allegedly behind their contract termination announcements and YouTube livestreams criticizing HYBE.
🔹 NewJeans' Response:
(No direct rebuttal was provided.)
9. Activity Disruptions
🔹 NewJeans' Claim:
ADOR failed to ensure NewJeans' continued activities. Their 2025 album plan was only drafted after the contract dispute began.
🔹 ADOR's Response:
"We had 2025 plans in place since October 2024, including a world tour and album release. The delay is due to NewJeans' own refusal to cooperate."
10. Final Statements
🔹 NewJeans Members' Emotional Plea:
"We signed with ADOR, not HYBE. Min Hee-jin protected us, but HYBE attacked and removed her."
🔹 ADOR's Final Words:
"We only filed this injunction because we want to work with NewJeans."
The court has requested additional evidence and clarifications by March 14. Meanwhile, the main lawsuit on contract validity is set for April 3.
