NJZ (NewJeans) Calls HYBE An “Abusive Dad” Amid Contract Dispute

In the latest hearing for NJZ‘s (formerly NewJeans) ongoing exclusive contract lawsuit, the group’s legal team made headlines after drawing a powerful and emotional comparison to describe their current conflict with HYBE and ADOR.

On July 24, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 41 held the third round of hearings in the lawsuit filed by ADOR against the five NewJeans members, seeking confirmation that their exclusive contracts remain valid.

During the session, ADOR continued to accuse former CEO Min Hee Jin of being the mastermind behind the group’s contract termination notice. They claimed that controversies such as the plagiarism accusations against ILLIT and the now-infamous “ignoring” incident were orchestrated by Min to create false justification for her actions.

ADOR insisted that they had fulfilled all critical management responsibilities and maintained that trust with the group had not broken down. They emphasized that ADOR staff are still preparing a comeback album, hoping for the members’ return.

The agency also rejected the group’s claim that Min’s removal as producer invalidated their contracts, stating that this alone does not meet the threshold to void an exclusive agreement. NJZ’s side pushed back hard. Their legal representatives argued that everything stemmed from HYBE’s audit in April 2023, which they claim was launched with the intention of removing Min Hee Jin. Although Min was cleared of embezzlement charges, the situation left NewJeans in emotional and professional turmoil.

In a particularly striking moment, NJZ’s side likened the situation to a broken family:

“The mom who raised us was kicked out, and now the abusive dad is saying, ‘I’ll find you a better mom, so come back home.’”

They argued this quote reflects the betrayal and loss of trust the members feel toward ADOR and HYBE, emphasizing that Min had simply been doing her job as CEO and producer at the time. Despite ADOR’s continued insistence that Min was manipulating the situation, NJZ’s team stood firm, stating that the group has suffered the most throughout the entire ordeal.

With arguments from both sides now concluded, the case will move into mediation, which is scheduled to take place privately on August 14.