All Five NewJeans Members Officially Return to ADOR
- Hajin Kim
- Nov 19
- 2 min read
Nov 19, 2025
Hajin Kim
All five members of NewJeans are now officially confirmed to remain under ADOR, as the members who previously expressed their intention to return to the label have decided not to appeal the first-trial ruling regarding their exclusive contracts. With this decision, the group’s “full-team comeback” is effectively complete.
According to industry sources on the 14th, members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein did not submit an appeal to the Seoul Central District Court by the deadline of midnight on the 13th. As a result, the first-trial ruling issued on October 30 by the Civil Division 41 of the Seoul Central District Court—affirming that the exclusive contracts between ADOR and the NewJeans members are valid—has now been finalized. This legally confirms that all members are under ADOR.
On the 12th, ADOR officially announced the return of Haerin and Hyein, stating that the company would “do its utmost to support the two members so they can resume activities smoothly.” Three hours later, Minji, Danielle, and Hanni also declared their intention to return, with ADOR adding that individual meetings were being arranged to ensure productive discussions.
The long-running dispute over the members’ exclusive contracts had unsettled the K-pop industry for nearly a year. With the members’ decision to drop their appeals, NewJeans now has a clear legal pathway to resume activities as a five-member group. Industry insiders expect ADOR to begin coordinating the group’s upcoming schedule, with the timeline for a full-team comeback likely to emerge soon.
Some speculated that NewJeans might continue as a two-member unit with Haerin and Hyein, who were previously confirmed to return. However, such concerns have been largely dismissed given ADOR’s decision to file the contract-confirmation lawsuit themselves and its repeated assurances of full support for all returning members.
Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin also expressed her support for the members’ decision, saying, “I respect their choice, and I have always believed that NewJeans should remain intact as five members. I hope they become even stronger moving forward, and above all, I wish for all five of them to be happy.”
