Yes, NewJeans (NJZ) members are returning to their label, ADOR, after a legal dispute, with most members confirming their return, though Danielle was officially released and Minji's status was uncertain as of early January 2026, leading to speculation about a comeback in 2026 after a year-long hiatus, says Teen Vogue, BBC, and L'OFFICIEL USA.
A lawsuit and injunction later, the members announced a new name, NJZ, and ADOR won a preliminary injunction request, which led to a hiatus. Then, the court ruled in ADOR's favor, and now, it seems like some, if not all, of the members are on their way back to the label.
NewJeans' Hanni is confirmed to return to ADOR with Haerin and Hyein while Minji is in talks. Danielle's contract has been terminated. Read the full statement linked in our biođź”—
All NewJeans members return to HYBE's ADOR after court ruling on contract dispute. All five members of K-pop group NewJeans have decided to resume activities with their label ADOR, nearly a year after they attempted to terminate their contracts.
Yes, NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein, along with all other members (Minji, Hanni, Danielle), have ultimately returned to ADOR after a legal dispute over contract validity, following a court ruling that favored ADOR in late 2025, leading to the group resuming activities under the label, though there were separate announcements and ongoing talks with some members after the initial news.Â
How NewJeans Could Make the Biggest Comeback of All Time
Why did ADOR sue NewJeans?
The K-pop record label Ador is suing a former member of megaband NewJeans for millions in damages, it has announced, a day after removing her from the group following a year-long dispute that saw the band allege mistreatment and attempt to leave their contract.
Former Stray Kids member Woojin apologized in April 2024, expressing regret for his departure from the group in 2019, which was officially for "personal reasons," but he later released content addressing past controversies and false allegations, aiming for genuine connection and acknowledging his past mistakes with Stray Kids, though his apology sparked debate about sincerity and its relation to his solo career. Â
NewJeans lose contract battle with label as Seoul court rules in favor of HYBE's ADOR. A court in Seoul has rejected claims by K-pop group NewJeans that their record label violated contractual obligations, ruling that the group remains bound to their exclusive agreement with HYBE-owned ADOR.
In March 2025, the Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction filed by ADOR, blocking the group from carrying out independent activities. The group subsequently announced a hiatus later that month.
All five members of K-pop group NewJeans set to return to label after legal battle. All five members of NewJeans are due to return to record label Ador, Hanni, Danielle and Minji announced in a statement.
Hybe Co. won a court ruling affirming its management contract with K-pop group NewJeans, helping the company maintain control over the group. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Hybe's label ADOR retains exclusive rights to manage NewJeans, rejecting the group's attempt to terminate the agreement.
Stray Kids debuted on March 25, 2018 with District 9. The group debuted as a group of 9 members but one had left in 2019 due to personal reasons. Currently they are a group of 8 members. They won the Variety Show Kingdom: Legendary War on June 3, 2021.
K-Pop girl group NewJeans announced that they've changed their name to NJZ in the midst of their long-running dispute with their label, ADOR. Singer Hanni spoke to CNN about the change, saying that the five-member group decided to rebrand as a means of “turning this rough period of time into something more exciting.”
The first openly gay K-pop idol to debut was Holland, who launched his career in January 2018 with the single "Neverland," making history by placing his sexuality and experiences with discrimination at the forefront of his music and music videos, including a same-sex kiss in his debut video. He funded his debut independently as agencies rejected him for his openness, becoming a significant figure for LGBTQ+ representation in the industry.
In an emotional 10-minute livestream held on January 12, 2026, Danielle Marsh broke her silence for the first time since her contract with ADOR was terminated. Speaking to the, she delivered a heartfelt message to her fans and addressed the end of her journey as a member of NewJeans.
The genre won't disappear, it'll continue to exist beside what is popular in the west. There will still be some korean groups and they will keep k-pop as we know it alive. Let's be honest, right now, kpop is expanding incredibly fast, with more groups debuting than can be sustained by the industry.
To recap: on November 28, 2024, K-pop girl group NewJeans announced they were terminating their exclusive contract with ADOR, citing a breach of trust and failure to meet requests for rectification (per The Korea Herald).
Min Hee-jin Sues HYBE Over 26 Billion Won Put Option. Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, who is engaged in a lawsuit with HYBE over a put option, a stock purchase claim right, worth approximately 26 billion Korean won, said, “I was a sacrifice for HYBE's listing.”
In this album, he also wrote the lyrics of song "Mixtape #1". On October 28, 2019, Kim left Stray Kids, with JYP Entertainment citing personal circumstances as the reason for his departure from the band. At the same time, JYP announced that their exclusive contract with Kim had been terminated.
He also made his acting debut in the web series A-Teen 2 with a cameo appearance in the final episode, alongside fellow Stray Kids member I.N the same year. From February to June 2021, Hyunjin was placed on a temporary hiatus due to school bullying allegations, and resumed regular activities with the group in July.
