Netizens Respond to NewJeans Declining Court’s Proposal for Settlement with ADOR
On June 4 KST, the second court hearing took place at the Seoul Central District Court over the ongoing contract dispute between NewJeans and their agency ADOR. The members themselves didn’t show up; their lawyers represented them instead.
During the session, the court suggested that both sides consider settling the matter out of court. However, NewJeans declined the offer, with their legal team stating,
"The relationship of trust has been completely shattered. We have crossed a river and can no longer return."
ADOR, on the other hand, seemed open to working things out if the court made a ruling first:
"If the court comes to a decision regarding this case, then a settlement will be easy enough."
NewJeans’ rejection of a settlement centers around their claim that ADOR failed to properly manage the group’s contract, especially after the departure of CEO Min Hee Jin. They argue this change caused the group to lose their independence. ADOR disputes this, accusing NewJeans of shifting their reasons for ending the contract and implying the decision to leave was made first, with justifications added later.
Additionally, NewJeans criticized the evidence ADOR has submitted, saying it doesn’t sufficiently prove the agency fulfilled its duties.
As a side note, the court has prohibited NewJeans from conducting any independent activities outside ADOR’s supervision. Should they break this, each member faces a hefty fine of 1 billion KRW (around 737,779 USD). The third hearing is set for July 24.
The drama has sparked a lot of buzz online. Many netizens express confusion wondering why NewJeans refuses to settle when ADOR appears willing to compromise. Korean commenters on TheQoo shared their thoughts, including:
"Where did Min Hee Jin’s confidence go from when she held that press conference…? What is she even doing now?"
"They’re thinking emotionally instead of rationally, that gets you in trouble."
"If they don’t want to pay the penalty and ADOR hasn’t done anything legally wrong, they should just go back… they’re not kids throwing tantrums."
"They could just settle, keep promoting, save money, and then start their own agency once the contract ends. No one would even know."
"NewJeans fighting until the end! Settlement? LOL."
"You can’t win, just settle while you can."
"I want to hear NewJeans’ new song."
"Don’t go easy on them. Show them how the law works. This isn’t a joke."
"Seriously ridiculous. Even NewJeans’ lawyers must be feeling the pressure."
"Just settle already…"
"They must really have no lingering attachment. Just leave them be."
"Let’s not change our minds, lol."
"The court seems to be trying to persuade them since they’re young with bright futures, but it’s unfortunate. If they lose, they’ll be in debt for life."
"Enough with the emotional excuses… It’s so sad. Go back while you still can. What are you going to do about the penalty fee?"
"I’ve never seen a court try to persuade someone like this… They’ll probably regret their decision someday."
"So much for a ‘revolution’ LOL. They’re not actually going to settle, right??"
"Who exactly at ADOR bullied them? I’ve never seen anyone cause this much drama over ’emotional damage.’"
"Where is Min Hee Jin??"
"Is trust the real issue? Are you going to stop performing altogether? You should take the long view, even if it hurts your pride now. Use the fans as an excuse if you have to. Just settle."
"Maybe it’s because they’re still young and already made a lot of money. Now that the members are speaking directly and Min Hee Jin has stepped back, it feels like there’s less protection. That faith is kind of wild."
"They made more in one go than most people in a lifetime… I’d probably feel the same, even if they don’t promote now, it’s no big loss. But the truth is, they rose with other people’s money and company help. If this was the plan, why take investor money in the first place? Now their image is ruined, and even if they return, it’s going to be hard to fix."
"Sigh… guess it’s retirement for them."
"This is NewJeans’ power at work. Worse than Fifty Fifty 3-member group, lol."
"Tsk Tsk."
"Just pay the penalty, then. Why all this drama?"
This case clearly hasn’t cooled down anytime soon and fans and the public alike are waiting closely to see how NewJeans and ADOR will move forward. The upcoming July 24 hearing could be a turning point in this ongoing battle.
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