Reports surfaced on April 4, 2025, indicating that a parent of a member of the popular girl group NewJeans was against ending the group's exclusive contract with ADOR, their agency.
Initially, it was rumored that Haerin's mother was the dissenting parent. However, after further investigation by New Daily, it was disclosed that it was Hyein’s father who disagreed with terminating the contract. This disagreement led to a legal dispute between him and his wife regarding legal guardianship.
Earlier, on April 3, 2025, Chosun Ilbo reported on a legal battle questioning the validity of NewJeans' contract with ADOR. During the first hearing, the judge probed into parental rights in the context of the lawsuit, particularly questioning if both parents had approved the actions, given that two members, Hyein and Haerin, were minors. It was suggested that there was a disagreement between the parents on terminating the contract.
In subsequent legal proceedings, concerns were raised about the parents' representation in the lawsuit and the authority to act on behalf of their minor children. Chosun Ilbo explained that due to a lack of consensus between the parents, the family courts were involved to resolve the issue.
Following the reports, there were online speculations linking "Defendant 4" in the legal documents to Haerin, assuming she was the opposing parent due to her surname Kang. However, further investigation revealed that it was Hyein’s father, not Haerin’s mother, opposing the contract termination.
The legal saga began in November 2024 when NewJeans notified ADOR about their intention to end the contract. Despite initially supporting the decision, Hyein's father later opposed it and took legal action against his wife, who backed the termination.
On March 14, 2025, a family court ruling sided with Hyein’s mother (B) in the parental rights dispute, granting her sole authority as Hyein’s legal guardian for the case. This means that Hyein’s mother will represent her legally in the lawsuit against ADOR.
In response to speculations about parental conflicts, the families of NewJeans issued a statement on April 4, refuting rumors. They clarified that the members unanimously chose to part ways with ADOR and are unified in their decision. They stressed that all legal actions require agreement from all five members, and all parents are in accord.
The families dismissed rumors of Haerin’s mother opposing the lawsuit and affirmed that they fully support NewJeans as a group. They urged the public to avoid speculating on family matters and emphasized that personal disputes should not be connected to the legal battle with ADOR.
The situation underscores the complexities of parental authority in legal matters and contract negotiations involving minors in the entertainment industry. The legal battle with ADOR continues amid ongoing scrutiny.