On April 4th, 2025, reports emerged revealing that some parents of NJZ (NewJeans) members are against the ongoing conflict concerning their children's exclusive contract termination with ADOR. This is the first instance of such a division arising among the group's parents.
The disagreement between NewJeans and ADOR regarding the contract started last April due to tensions between Hive, ADOR's parent company, and the former representative, Min Hee Jin. NewJeans members claim that ADOR failed to fulfill its obligations, leading to the termination of their exclusive contracts on November 29th, 2024. Subsequently, the parents have become more involved, setting up a social media account to express NewJeans' stance publicly.
During the initial court hearing on April 3rd, 2025, concerning the 'confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contract' case at the Seoul Central District Court, the judge inquired from the NewJeans side about the family court's decision on parental rights, which are necessary for all legal actions taken thus far. This inquiry indicates a rift among some parents regarding their ability to assert parental rights in moving forward with the lawsuit.
Two members of NewJeans, Hyein and Haerin, are still minors. A disagreement among the parents of one of the minor members concerning the exclusive contract termination issue resulted in a family court ruling. This incident represents the first instance of parents being at odds over the lawsuit's progress.
Earlier, during a hearing on March 7th, 2025, addressing the provisional injunction to protect the agency's position, similar concerns were raised. The court highlighted the necessity of resolving parental rights before proceeding with the case, as uncertainties existed regarding the validity of the power of attorney.
In cases involving minors, both parents usually need to jointly advocate for the child's interests. The lack of consensus between the parents concerning the contract termination implies that additional legal measures might be needed to resolve the dispute.
Legal representatives of NewJeans expected a judgment from the family court soon, with a final decision anticipated the following week. However, the court noted the absence of rectification regarding the power of attorney issue, indicating that the parents had not yet reached an agreement on handling the termination of the contract.
Despite the challenges, the court proceedings on April 3rd indicated that the opposing parent had limited influence, and the case would proceed following the parent supporting the contract termination.
NewJeans' parents have consistently argued through social media and public statements that ADOR breached its contractual duties, resulting in the contract termination. They emphasized their lack of obligation or right to manage or intervene in their children's affairs. Nevertheless, with the recent developments and the court accepting ADOR's injunction to halt NewJeans' activities, fractures are evident within the parents’ group, suggesting that the dispute may evolve in the coming days.