K-pop group NewJeans has lost a legal battle seeking to terminate its exclusive contract with record label Ador.
On Thursday, October 30, a Seoul court ruled that the group's agreement with its management agency remained valid and they should honour it until 2029, unless they won an appeal.
The court rejected the group's claim that the label's alleged misconduct and the dismissal of the band's former creative director and Ador's former CEO Min Hee Jin would be grounds to end the contract.
Furthermore, the Super Shy hitmakers were also ordered to bear the costs of the suit.
NewJeans' legal representative at Sejong Law Firm shared that the members "respect the court's judgement"; however, it would be difficult to mend the relationship between the agency and the artists, and they will be filing for an appeal.
Following the court's decision, fans of the group flooded the social media platform to show their support for the group, including American singer Kesha, who penned on X, "My heart is with you NewJeans."
The five-member girl group, including Hanni, Danielle, Minji, Hyein, and Haerin, announced last year that they were leaving the agency, citing mistreatment and manipulation.
The case rocked South Korea's entertainment industry, where record labels have a questionable amount of power and control over their artists.
Formed in July 2022, NewJeans, whose members are aged from 17 to 21, had enjoyed rapid success before their dramatic fallout with the agency.
The group's announcement to split from Ador, which was made in November last year during a press conference, came after a long and public spat between Min Hee-jin and Ador, as well as its parent company, Hybe, one of South Korea's biggest music labels.
