On April 3, 2025, the next development in the ongoing contract dispute between NewJeans (now NJZ) and their agency ADOR was witnessed when the Seoul Central District Court’s presiding judge brought up a significant parental power problem during the first hearing of the lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract.
“Are you stating that the family court’s decision regarding parental authority has ratified all litigation actions to date?” the judge asked. The parents of two NewJeans members, Hyein and Haerin, who are minors, are involved in the legal proceedings.
The parents of the NewJeans members released a statement to elucidate their position in reaction to escalating media reports of family strife: “The reports from some media outlets claiming that there is a division among the members’ parents are completely untrue. We are making this statement to correct any misunderstandings.”
The five members—Haerin, Minji, Hyein, Danielle, and Hanni—all agreed, according to the parents, that they would not be going back to HYBE. They continued, “From the beginning, the members promised that they would not proceed with any legal action unless all five of them agreed.”
According to the parents’ post, they were “deeply disappointed” to hear these unfounded rumors. The statement also made it clear that the reports about Haerin’s family were completely untrue, highlighting the fact that Haerin and her parents share the same beliefs and are not at odds with one another. “It almost feels as if someone is deliberately trying to create division,” they added.
“The rumors regarding member Haerin are completely untrue. Haerin and her parents are fully aligned in their position, and any speculation about their family matters is also false. Due to these unfounded and one-sided speculations, both the member and her family are experiencing severe emotional distress.”
The statement also discussed the subject of parental authority, stating that in certain situations, it was the duty of another person and that the mother and child had mutually agreed on this point.
The parents added: “We want to make it absolutely clear that all families are fully respecting and supporting their children.
