ADOR files lawsuit seeking validity of contracts with NewJeans

ADOR, a sub-label of Hybe, said Thursday it has filed a lawsuit seeking a ruling on the validity of its exclusive contracts with NewJeans, who have said they will leave the label over alleged contract violations.

The girl band’s agency said it submitted the lawsuit to the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday.

“We did not want to resolve the issue with our artists, NewJeans, through legal means, but we had to make this inescapable decision in order to show them, and to other interested parties, that the contracts cannot be terminated unilaterally,” it said in a statement.

Last week, the five-member group said they would be leaving the agency over a dispute between the label and its creator, along with other issues including, alleged workplace bullying.

In response, ADOR said the contracts remains valid until July 2029, and claimed that they have not done anything to justify the cancellation of the agreements.

Expressing its resolve to “stay together with NewJeans,” ADOR said “We believe there should be sufficient and honest discussions with the artists, aside from seeking a ruling from the court,” regarding the contracts and their monthlong dispute.

“We will continue to make efforts to resolve any unnecessary misunderstandings between us,” it said.