As all five NewJeans members announced their intention to return to ADOR, industry insiders warn that the agency may not accept Minji, Danielle and Hanni, who notified their return without prior consultation. Legal experts add that ADOR has sufficient grounds to formally terminate their contracts.
On November 12th, the three members delivered their intention to return through Hanil Law Corporation—just three hours after Haerin and Hyein announced their comeback directly through ADOR.
What drew attention was ADOR’s reaction. Instead of immediately embracing the news, ADOR stated it was “checking the members’ true intent,” signaling a cautious stance. Unlike Haerin and Hyein, Minji, Danielle, and Hanni had not discussed the specifics of returning with the agency in advance, prompting ADOR to question whether they genuinely intend to uphold their exclusive contracts.
Industry insiders are pessimistic about the possibility of ADOR accepting the trio and restoring full-group NewJeans promotions. One music-industry source said, “The phrase ‘checking their intent’ reflects ADOR’s doubt about whether the three are sincere. It suggests the agency is not confident they can function smoothly as NewJeans again.”
Another insider added, “Minji and Hanni’s behavior at the emergency press conference and the National Assembly audit likely dealt serious damage to ADOR’s trust. Given that their return was also announced unilaterally, without sufficient discussion, it’s unclear whether ADOR will accept them.”
Legal experts say ADOR has strong grounds to notify the three members of contract termination. While contract termination is something the members themselves had long demanded, the problem is the responsibility that would fall on them. Should ADOR terminate the contract, the three members—not the agency—could be held liable for damages. And given NewJeans’ peak-level popularity before the dispute, the potential penalty could be far beyond what an individual member could reasonably pay.
Attorney Roh Jong Eon explained, “The first-instance ruling on the exclusive-contract validity lawsuit doesn’t mean the contract must be maintained. It means that if the contract is broken, responsibility lies with NewJeans, not ADOR. Based on that, ADOR could terminate the contract and demand the three members bear the consequences.”
Another attorney also noted, “The members’ actions to date may have effectively broken the trust. There is a very real possibility ADOR will choose not to take the three back.”
As ADOR continues to “verify their intent,” the future of NewJeans’ full-group activities remains uncertain.
>> All NewJeans Members Return to ADOR: Statements, Family and Reactions
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