K-pop girl group NewJeans has been officially banned from pursuing independent activities outside their management company ADOR after failing to file an appeal to South Korea's Supreme Court by the deadline.
The court's decision was finalized on Wednesday as the idol group did not submit a re-appeal against the injunction within the one-week deadline mandated by law.
The Seoul High Court had previously dismissed NewJeans' appeal on June 17, upholding a lower court's decision that granted ADOR's request for an injunction to prevent the five members from independently signing advertising contracts or pursuing separate music activities. Under South Korean law, any appeal to the Supreme Court must be made within seven days of an appellate court's ruling.
The legal dispute started in November 2024, when NewJeans unilaterally declared their contracts with ADOR terminated, citing a breach of trust. The group, consisting of members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, accused ADOR of violating the terms of their exclusive contract and announced they would continue activities independently under the new name NJZ.
In response to the group's departure, ADOR filed for an injunction in January 2025, which the Seoul Central District Court granted in March. The injunction ordered the preservation of the agency's exclusive management rights and barred the members from independently entering commercial agreements, including brand endorsements.
The court expressed concern over potential damages to ADOR, emphasizing that if the members acted outside the bounds of their contract, they could unfairly benefit from ADOR's prior investments while the agency would suffer severe financial loss. The ruling stated that NewJeans should not engage in independent activities without prior approval or consent from ADOR.
Adding financial pressure to the ban, the court also approved ADOR's request for indirect compulsory enforcement, imposing a penalty of 1 billion won (approximately $730,000) on each member for every unauthorized entertainment activity. If all five members engage in independent activities collectively, the penalty could reach 5 billion won per incident.
The court found that NewJeans had already violated the injunction by performing under the name NJZ at ComplexCon Hong Kong in March and releasing new music, including the song "Pit Stop." These activities took place just days after the original injunction was issued.
Despite the legal setbacks, NewJeans has maintained its position that trust with ADOR has been completely broken. During a recent court hearing on June 5, the group's legal representatives rejected settlement proposals, stating, "Trust has been completely broken. There's no turning back."
The ongoing primary lawsuit to determine the validity of NewJeans' exclusive contracts with ADOR continues, with the third hearing scheduled for July 24, 2025. Until a final decision is made in that case, the injunction banning independent activities remains in effect.
