NewJeans’ claims ILLIT ‘mocked them’ rejected after court blocks K-pop group from leaving their agency ADOR

NewJeans faces a legal setback as the court blocks their bid to leave ADOR. Meanwhile, their claims against ILLIT are dismissed due to lack of evidence.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | Updated: March 22, 2025 10:02 AM IST

South Korea court blocks NewJeans from leaving agency (NewJeans IG)

NewJeans, the HYBE girl group that rebelled against their management agency ADOR (a subsidiary of Bang Si Hyuk’s company), has hit a major legal roadblock. On Friday, a court issued an injunction blocking the members from pursuing independent projects. According to Kbizoom via theqoo, the court has also dismissed claims that ILLIT members ignored or mocked the Super Shy singers.

NewJeans, caught in the middle of the HYBE vs Min Hee Jin feud (ADOR’s former CEO), earlier rebranded themselves as NJZ, announcing they had cut ties with their parent company after Hee Jin stepped down and a new CEO took over. Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein announced their departure from ADOR last November and promised fans new music. Despite the ruling, the group has vowed to fight back and challenge the court’s decision.

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During the court proceedings, the quintet claimed that three ILLIT members didn’t greet Hanni and even mocked them through their words and actions. They also accused ILLIT’s manager of harassing Hanni by allegedly telling the members to “ignore her.” However, reports say there wasn’t enough evidence to back any of these claims.

According to the verdict, CCTV footage showed ILLIT members “bowing 90 degrees to Hanni.” Hanni’s own KakaoTalk messages from the next day mentioned how members greeted her, though she claimed that it felt a bit stiff. The court also noted there was no solid proof that Hanni was harassed or that her dignity was violated in any way.

Earlier, Belift Lab, the HYBE subsidiary that manages ILLIT, denied the allegations, calling them “baseless accusations.” Back in October 2024, the agency released a statement (Via Korea Times). “Following the unfounded plagiarism claims, we strongly demand an immediate halt to attempts to defame a rookie artist with groundless personnel controversies,” they said. “ILLIT’s managers never instructed anyone to ‘ignore’ NewJeans members, and the ILLIT members have always greeted NewJeans when passing by.”

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NewJeans responds to court’s ruling

On Friday, after the court blocked their injunction, the Bubble Gum singers shared a statement on Instagram. “NJZ respects the court’s ruling. However, we believe the decision didn’t fully reflect the essence of the complete breakdown of trust the members feel toward ADOR,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, ADOR thanked the court for its “judicious” decision in an official statement. “With our status as NewJeans’ exclusive agency now legally affirmed, we are fully committed to supporting the artists going forward,” the company said, adding they would be present at the group’s performance this Sunday in Hong Kong.

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