NewJeans - CMU | the music business explained

Ador founder Min Hee-Jin tells HYBE to grow up and leave her and NewJeans alone

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Ador • 3 min read

Ador founder Min Hee-Jin tells HYBE to grow up and leave her and NewJeans alone

Ador founder Min Hee-Jin has offered her former business partner HYBE a $17.9 million truce. A Korean court recently ordered HYBE to pay Min $17.9 million to buy back her Ador shares. But she says she’ll give that payment up if HYBE calls off all the other litigation relating to her and NewJeans…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2026

Yet more K-pop legal drama as Ador founder hits back at contract tampering claims, and agency sues one of NewJeans

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Hybe • 3 min read

Yet more K-pop legal drama as Ador founder hits back at contract tampering claims, and agency sues one of NewJeans

After trying to quit HYBE’s Ador label, K-pop group NewJeans last year agreed to carry on working with the company. But then the label announced it was axing and suing one member, while also accusing Ador founder Min Hee-jin of contract tampering, something she denied at a press conference today…

Chris Cooke • 28 Jan 2026

With NewJeans v HYBE legal ruling due, Ador’s founder Min launches new agency

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NewJeans • 3 min read

With NewJeans v HYBE legal ruling due, Ador’s founder Min launches new agency

A judge is due to rule this week on the legal battle between HYBE’s Ador and NewJeans - it is trying to enforce its contract with the group, who quit the agency after CEO Min Hee-jin was pushed out. With that ruling incoming, Min has now launched another K-pop agency called Ooak…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2025

South Korean police arrest eight over HYBE artist deepfakes

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Hybe • 3 min read

South Korean police arrest eight over HYBE artist deepfakes

Police in South Korea have arrested eight people in relation to deepfake videos featuring the likeness of artists represented by K-pop company HYBE. It’s part of HYBE’s ongoing work to combat harmful content targeting or featuring its artists, which includes a particular focus on deepfakes…

Chris Cooke • 11 Apr 2025

NewJeans rebrand socials to mhdhh_friends as “unique” legal battle with Ador rumbles on

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NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans rebrand socials to mhdhh_friends as “unique” legal battle with Ador rumbles on

The legal battle between NewJeans and HYBE’s Ador was in court in Seoul last week, with the judge observing that this is a “unique” dispute because it centres on a loss of trust rather than unpaid royalties. Shortly after the hearing NewJeans removed their new name, NJZ, from social media accounts…

Chris Cooke • 07 Apr 2025

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

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NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

NewJeans are on hiatus after HYBE’s Ador secured an injunction from the courts last week preventing the group from pursuing any projects without its involvement. The hiatus was announced at a show in Hong Kong where the group performed under their new name NJZ, much to the annoyance of Ador…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

NewJeans bumper PowerPoint doesn’t convince judge as court tells band to present stronger evidence for claims against Ador

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NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans bumper PowerPoint doesn’t convince judge as court tells band to present stronger evidence for claims against Ador

A court in Seoul last week considered a request by HYBE agency Ador for an injunction stopping NewJeans from entering into new deals while it pursues legal action to enforce its contract with the group. The judge told NewJeans to restructure their list of reasons for terminating their Ador deal…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2025

K-pop relies on “mutual trust between agencies and artists” says KMCA as NewJeans v Ador bust-up heads to court

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Ador • 3 min read

K-pop relies on “mutual trust between agencies and artists” says KMCA as NewJeans v Ador bust-up heads to court

The NewJeans v Ador dispute is due to arrive in court this week, putting the spotlight on the K-pop business model. To that end, the big K-pop agencies last week held a press conference defending their artist deals, and insisting that artists must respect those deals for the industry to thrive…

Chris Cooke • 03 Mar 2025

K-pop labels and agencies want new laws against contract tampering, but no other regulation, as Ador v NewJeans dispute continues

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NewJeans • 4 min read

K-pop labels and agencies want new laws against contract tampering, but no other regulation, as Ador v NewJeans dispute continues

With the ongoing very public dispute between NewJeans and HYBE’s Ador still grabbing the headlines in South Korea, resulting in proposals for regulating the K-pop business, five trade groups for the Korean music industry have said the focus of law-makers should be so called “tampering practices”…

Chris Cooke • 21 Feb 2025

NewJeans are now NJZ, as court dates set for Ador legal battle

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NewJeans • 2 min read

NewJeans are now NJZ, as court dates set for Ador legal battle

K-pop group NewJeans have announced a rebrand as NJZ as a result of their legal dispute with former label Ador. They will start performing under the new name next month, just as legal action by Ador - which is seeking to enforce its contract with the group - arrives in court…

Chris Cooke • 07 Feb 2025

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Ador • 1 min read

Ador seeks injunction to stop NewJeans brand deals

As the legal dispute between HYBE subsidiary Ador and K-pop group NewJeans rumbles on, the label has asked the courts in South Korea to issue an injunction stopping the girl group from entering into new brand deals without its involvement…

Chris Cooke • 14 Jan 2025

HYBE execs are trash talking NewJeans and it would be “inhumane” to enforce contractual terms says band as K-pop’s biggest dispute rumbles on

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NewJeans • 2 min read

HYBE execs are trash talking NewJeans and it would be “inhumane” to enforce contractual terms says band as K-pop’s biggest dispute rumbles on

Earlier this week HYBE label Ador announced it was going legal to enforce its contract with NewJeans, who announced they were terminating their deal with the company last week. The group has responded to the lawsuit, stating that forcing them to continue working with the label would be “inhumane”…

Chris Cooke • 06 Dec 2024