NewJeans Contract Dispute: Hanni’s “Ignore Her” Claim, the 3rd Hearing
Third Hearing in ADOR vs. NewJeans Lawsuit Highlights Missing CCTV Footage
The legal battle between K-pop girl group NewJeans and their label ADOR continues to escalate, with the latest controversy surrounding member Hanni’s claim of being told to “ignore her.”
On July 24, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 41 held the third hearing in the lawsuit filed by ADOR to confirm the validity of NewJeans’ exclusive contracts (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein).
NewJeans’ legal representative questioned why part of the CCTV footage was missing, stating:
“There is footage showing when she entered, but why was the footage of when she left deleted? This makes Hanni appear dishonest. How can the members return to an agency that treats them like liars?”
Hanni previously testified during a 2024 National Assembly session on workplace bullying:
“After finishing hair and makeup, I waited in the hallway. Another label’s team passed by—people who used to greet me—but they ignored me. Later, their manager told others, ‘Just ignore her.’”
Hanni later posted on social media:
“I remember everything clearly. I wanted to say more in court but held back.”
ADOR Denies Claims, Points to Min Hee-jin for Escalation
ADOR responded by denying the allegations, claiming that Hanni herself admitted three ILLIT members greeted her and never confirmed the manager’s intent to ignore her. The agency stated:
“Hanni said she wasn’t sure and didn’t recall clearly. It was Min Hee-jin who exaggerated the situation, framing it as ‘everyone ignored you.’ Hanni did not consider this a major issue.”
ADOR argued the incident was misrepresented and accused Min Hee-jin of creating a false narrative to justify contract termination.
Court Imposes Heavy Penalties for Contract Breach
Earlier, the court ruled in favor of ADOR’s injunction, ordering NewJeans not to engage in independent or third-party activities without approval until the verdict on the exclusive contract validity case.
Violations will result in a ₩1 billion (approx. $750,000) fine per incident, potentially ₩5 billion (approx. $3.7 million) for all five members.
While NewJeans appeared at the injunction hearing in March, they did not attend the first two sessions of the main trial, signaling heightened tension in the ongoing dispute.
Previous article about NewJeans and ADOR > ADOR Insists Keeping Contract With NewJeans Benefits K-pop Industry – Court Battle Continues on July 24th
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