NewJeans, who are currently embroiled in a legal dispute with its agency ADOR, announced a temporary suspension of activities following a court ruling barring independent promotions.

ADOR said that it is unfortunate that the members are making such a decision and it hopes to communicate with the members soon.

Following its performance on Sunday at ComplexCon Hong Kong’s “Complex Live!,” NewJeans announced that it is the group's last performance for now, adding that the group has decided to comply with the court's ruling and suspend all activities. The girl group performed the concert under NJZ — the name the group has given itself — instead of NewJeans.



"We knew this wouldn’t be easy when we started. While we accept the court’s decision, we will continue to raise our voices to protect one another," member Minji said during the Hong Kong performance.

"Some might think it would have been better to just endure and stay with ADOR, but this is about protecting ourselves," another member Hyein said. "We believe we need to become stronger before we return. We do not regret our decision."

Minji concluded by reassuring fans, "We will take time to brace ourselves and come back stronger. When we return, we hope to greet you all with bright smiles."

ADOR released a statement on Monday and said it "deeply regrets that, despite the court's decision, a performance was carried out under a name other than NewJeans, and that an abrupt suspension of activities was announced unilaterally. ADOR remains committed to doing its utmost for NewJeans under a valid exclusive contract. We hope to meet with the artists soon to discuss their future.”

On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR in an injunction filed against the five members of NewJeans. The court granted ADOR's request to prohibit the members from engaging in independent promotional activities or signing advertisement contracts without the agency’s involvement.

The court ruled that "based solely on the claims and evidence submitted by the respondents [NewJeans members], it is difficult to conclude that the petitioner [ADOR] violated significant contractual obligations or that the trust between both parties has irreparably broken down."

At the heart of the dispute is whether the group’s contract termination was just.

In November 2024, NewJeans members announced the termination of their contracts, citing breaches by ADOR, and began independent activities. In response, ADOR filed injunctions in January and February to prevent the group's activities, asserting that the contracts were still legally binding.

ADOR insists that the members unilaterally severed ties without a valid reason, while the members argue that HYBE’s alleged discrimination and unfair treatment left them with no choice.

The group’s decision to halt activities is widely interpreted as a statement that they do not intend to return to ADOR, even at the cost of pausing their careers.

During the performance, the group premiered their new song, "Pit Stop."

The venue’s LED screens displayed the name "NJZ" instead of NewJeans, reflecting a name the members had chosen for themselves. Merchandise with the "NJZ" branding was also sold near the venue.

Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM JI-HYE, KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]