Seoul Court Upholds Injunction Blocking NewJeans Solo Activities — K-Pop Group Immediately Appeals

Moments after a court ruled to leave in place an injunction blocking NewJeans’ solo career activities, the group appealed to the Seoul High Court. Photo Credit: SBS Radio

A Seoul court has upheld an injunction blocking NewJeans members from engaging in professional activities without Ador’s involvement. And right on cue, the group has kicked off a High Court appeal.

Both developments came to light in regional reports today. By now, many are familiar with the uglier-than-ever contract dispute between NewJeans and its Hybe-owned agency, Ador.

But just to recap – the convoluted showdown has a number of layers – late March saw the aforementioned injunction put an end to NewJeans members’ solo activities.

Having rebranded and performed as NJZ for a time, NewJeans was (and remains) specifically barred from pursuing any career moves without Hybe/Ador. Meanwhile, the five-piece act’s separate court challenge to the underlying contract is plodding along.

In short, then, the on-hiatus NewJeans’ current options include attempting to overturn the injunction, waiting out the suit challenging the contract (though a win certainly isn’t guaranteed), or reconciling with Hybe/Ador.

The latter path is definitely interesting, but the first course of action hasn’t brought about the desired result for NewJeans. As summed up by the Korea Herald, the court today upheld its prior ruling on the injunction.

Per the same source, NewJeans members promptly appealed to the Seoul High Court – though it’s unclear how long it’ll be before the legal wheels are in motion there.

Closer to the present, evidence suggests that the involved parties are still quite far from an amicable resolution. At the same time, with not-so-subtle press conferences in the rearview, the worst of the confrontation might be over.

To be sure, many NewJeans fans appear eager to see the group reunite (or at least stop quarreling) with Hybe/Ador, which, as noted, now has multiple courtroom wins under its belt. Undoubtedly interested in ending the battle, Hybe last week extended an olive branch to NewJeans by vowing to crack down on online harassment targeting the group.

Furthermore, NewJeans members are evidently still open to performing (they did so as NJZ before the injunction was handed down) and to making music (they unveiled a new track at the same concert). And returning to their original professional home might be the easiest way to continue earning a living from the efforts.

NewJeans’ relationship with ousted Ador CEO Min Hee-jin (who has worked with the group from the outset) is undoubtedly the biggest hangup in this area.

Though there are two sides to every story, an initial rift between Min and Hybe management seemingly fueled the wider conflict with NewJeans.

Long story short, NewJeans members are adamant that Min should be reinstated, and Hybe has spelled out that the ship sailed a while ago. Among many other things, litigation is ongoing between Hybe and Min.

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