Korean pop group NewJeans has been filing a lawsuit against their own entertainment company, HYBE, and its subsidiary ADOR, the label NewJeans (now rebranded as NJZ), is under. All of the action began almost a year ago, and it still continues today.
NewJeans, a group that debuted a little under three years ago, has reached global success quickly. They were the first K-pop group to achieve Billboard’s Women in Music “Group of the Year” award, and their most recent album, “Get Up,” reached number one on Billboard 200, barely beating the Barbie Soundtrack and knocking down Taylor Swift’s album,”Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”
ADOR is a branch of HYBE Corporation, the entertainment company of popular groups, most well known for BTS. For now, NewJeans is the only group under the ADOR branch, but this could change soon.
It all began with a different case. HYBE launched an audit over ADOR CEO Min Hee-Jin. HYBE chose to investigate her due to suspicions that Min was planning to take control of HYBE as a whole. Hybe never explained why they suspected Min and other details of the audit.
Shortly after the audit, Min created a statement, accusing HYBE of “undermining NewJeans’ success.” This statement is rooted from HYBE’s new girlgroup ILLIT, under another subsidiary of HYBE, BELIFT LAB. ILLIT is BELIFT’s second group, and their first girl group. Min believed that ILLIT’s debut and overall concept were merely copies of NewJeans, from their styling, concept photos, choreography, and music itself.
Min denies all rumors and holds her own press conference, explaining that all accusations were made without any further context. Min also claimed she made an internal report to BELIFT regarding ILLIT and NewJeans’ similarities. The final point was HYBE’s decision to promote girl group LE SSERAFIM, under HYBE branch Source Music, before NewJeans. Although the plan was to debut NewJeans as the first girl group under HYBE, Min claimed that she was told to delay promotions for NewJeans until after LE SSERAFIM’s promotions. All rumors were denied by HYBE, to which Min requested that all five members of NewJeans’ would have their contract terminated.
HYBE instead held a shareholder’s meeting to decide if Min would be fired, and BELIFT sued Min over defamation claims of ILLIT. Min was not initially fired, and the court did rule in her favor over BELIFT. However, Source Music filed a lawsuit against Min for her claims against LE SSERAFIM, which forced her to step down from her position as CEO of ADOR.
After Min’s firing, NewJeans’ members Danielle, Hanni, and Minji uploaded their frustrations about the entire situation on fan community platforms. Claiming that they were “in a state of mental breakdown and very anxious,” as according to Danielle. The five NewJeans members publicly support Min and criticize HYBE for their decision. The final act of the NewJeans girls was when they began an unplanned livestream, speaking on the HYBE and ADOR issues. They expressed their hopes of Min’s return to ADOR and called out HYBE as an “inhumane company,” claiming that they were mistreated.
Member Hanni speaks out on workplace harassment to the South Korean Labour Ministry, which is dismissed quickly. After this, NewJeans quickly terminated their contracts with ADOR and HYBE. However, ADOR says that their contract is still in full effect.
NewJeans is now rebranded as NJZ. The group is still believed to be under ADOR, and they are currently in a legal case to terminate their contract for good. However, things don’t seem to be looking too well for NJZ. Hanni claims that an ambassadorship for Louis Vuttion was given to LE SSERAFIM’s Sakura, which was immediately proved false.
NJZ also still supports Min Hee-Jin. This was a controversial take on Korean social media. Min was villianized after her press conference for constantly slandering ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM. The members of these groups are considered as young girls with big dreams, yet were put down quickly by Min, plus supporters of NewJeans. Min also boldly accused HYBE of copying her with the idea of BTS, and manipulating public opinion on BELIFT’s other group, ENHYPEN. Min has caused many ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM, BTS, and ENHYPEn fans to dislike her, making NJZ’s case harder for them as it continues.
Seoul Central District court ruled for ADOR and HYBE, meaning NewJeans can’t pursue any independent careers outside of their contract. NewJeans is now under HYBE again, the court claiming that NewJeans did not have enough evidence of unfair mistreatment.
