NewJeans have just announced the termination of their contract with ADOR and HYBE.

The beloved K-pop girl group made the announcement during their emergency press conference held yesterday (on November 28, 2024) at a private location in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Members Hanni, Danielle, Hyein, Minji, and Haerin shared the news in front of a public audience, explaining the reasons for their departure.

“The reason we are leaving ADOR is very simple,” the group stated during the conference. “ADOR neither has the will nor the ability to protect NewJeans.”

Hanni explained: “We have faced mistreatment, not just towards us but our staff, countless preventions and contradictions, deliberate miscommunications, and manipulation regarding multiple areas. [ADOR is] A company that no longer has any sincerity in the art of music, whether it is creative and fixated on appearing on looking like a well-working company despite only having thoughts about making money and having no conscious of the negative effect they create through their non-authentic means.

This is not the type of work we respect or want to be a part of, and to continue to work under a company with no intention of protecting NewJeans would only do us harm. That is why the five of us together have agreed to leave ADOR and for us to clearly express ourselves before misleading information is released,” she continued.

“For the time being, we might not be able to use the name ‘NewJeans,’ but we will not give up this name. ‘NewJeans’ holds all the memories of the five of us since the day we met,” Danielle mentioned.

The shocking announcement comes after months of mounting tensions between the group and their parent company, HYBE. The rift reportedly deepened following the departure of ADOR’s creative head Min Hee Jin, with disputes between the members and the agency escalating in recent weeks.

The news marks a dramatic turning point for one of K-pop’s fastest-rising acts, leaving fans and industry insiders speculating about what lies ahead for the group.

Over the past few months, NewJeans, ADOR, and HYBE have been embroiled in several legal issues, including the treatment of idols in the industry, plagiarism accusations, HYBE’s leaked internal documents, and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin’s issues with management.

Immediately after the emergency press conference, NewJeans’ fandom, the Bunnies, and thousands of online netizens were quick to showcase their unequivocal support for the group as they embark on their future endeavors. With whatever lies ahead for Hanni, Danielle, Minji, Hyein, and Haerin, stay tuned at this space for future updates on the group.