New Jeans Loses Lawsuit, Plans to Appeal

Court sides with Adore in New Jeans dispute.
The group plans to appeal the verdict.
Public debate over trust and Min Hee-jin intensifies.

The legal battle between girl group New Jeans and their agency Adore has reached a critical turning point. On October 30, 2025, the 41st Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Jeong Hoe-il, ruled that the group’s exclusive contract remains valid and legally binding, decisively siding with Adore against the five members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.

Yet rather than closing the long-running conflict between the group and former Adore CEO Min Hee-jin, the verdict only deepens the complexity. Through their law firm Sejong, New Jeans immediately announced their intent to file an appeal, emphasizing that it is impossible for the members to return to Adore in a situation where the relationship of trust has been completely destroyed.

Court Ruling: Exclusive Contract Upheld

In a session that lasted over 40 minutes, the court rejected every claim raised by New Jeans. Their main argument that Min Hee-jin’s dismissal as Adore’s CEO had irreparably damaged mutual trust was found legally groundless.

The judge stated that even after Min’s dismissal, no management vacuum occurred within Adore since the company continued fulfilling its contractual obligations. “There is no clause in the exclusive contract specifying that former CEO Min is personally responsible for New Jeans’ management,” the court explained.

Moreover, the court concluded that Min’s actions during her public feud with parent company HYBE were not in defense of the group. In the official ruling, it stated:

“The court ruled that Min Hee-jin’s actions, aimed at separating Adore from HYBE and seeking independent investors, cannot be considered efforts to protect New Jeans under the agency’s exclusive contract.”

The verdict solidified Adore’s authority as the rightful holder of New Jeans’ management rights, extending the group’s ongoing hiatus, which has now lasted over a year since their last double single How Sweet in May 2024.

Adore is expected to proceed with global promotions, including tour and advertising projects, without the members’ involvement. The court also upheld Adore’s request for a ₩1 billion fine per violation if New Jeans engages in independent activities without authorization.

Law firm Sejong, representing the members, stated that while they respect the court’s decision, the total collapse of trust makes it impossible to continue normal entertainment activities under Adore. They added, “We hope the appellate court will thoroughly review both the facts and the legal principles.”

Public Reactions and the Noise Online

While the courtroom decided one battle, another erupted online. Amid public frustration, New Jeans’ debut song “Cookie” achieved a fresh milestone, surpassing 300 million streams on Spotify, marking their eighth track to cross the mark.

But celebration was nowhere to be found. Many netizens criticized how the group remains caught in legal turmoil instead of reconnecting with fans.

“Other idols are busy meeting their fans, while NJ is still busy defending MHJ. These girls are willing to lose their golden years just to defend her.”

“These girls ruined their career for a wrong person. They are young and manipulated by a toxic system.”

Others took a broader stance, saying the verdict exposed the harsh reality of South Korea’s entertainment industry, where artists’ rights are often bound by restrictive long-term contracts.

“In South Korea, artists lack basic human rights, and there’s no intention to change that. This ruling only reaffirms it.”

Meanwhile, on the Korean forum Nate Pann, the topic exploded into one of the day’s most heated discussions, drawing over 325 comments, 232 likes, and 55 dislikes within hours. The volume of reactions reflects how deeply divided public opinion has become.

The comments ranged from sarcasm to genuine concern, with some urging the members to step away from what they called a “mud war.”

“New Jeans’ claims were all dismissed. Maybe the court was influenced by HYBE too.”

“The judge should have explained the verdict to Newzin so she could understand it, hahaha.”

“It’s sad because they still have a long road ahead, but I’ve said before, they should get out of this mess and go back to Adore.”

Other users shifted focus to Min Hee-jin herself, who recently founded a new agency called OOAK (One of a Kind). In one particularly biting comment, a Nate Pann user wrote:

“Min Hee-jin should just make New Jeans 2 with younger, humbler, and more talented girls.”

Cruel as it sounds, the remark captures the exhaustion many feel toward a saga that has blurred the line between artistry, loyalty, and business reality.

Now, New Jeans stands at a crossroads, torn between upholding their sense of justice and risking the momentum they have built since debut. It is an irony that while their songs continue to stream by the millions worldwide, the group itself remains silenced by the weight of legal proceedings.

And perhaps, as one weary Nate Pann commenter wrote, “They still have time to come back, but will they even listen?”

Source: Nate Pann, SBS, Sports Seoul, MyDaily, Sports Today, Sports Donga, Kpop Herarld