New evidence has surfaced suggesting that Min Hee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, played a key role in NewJeans (NJZ)' contract termination announcement. 

This development supports allegations of 'tampering,' which refers to a third party—Min in this case—interfering with an artist (NewJeans) whose contract with their agency (ADOR) had not yet expired, without the agency's consent.

Documents from the oral argument held on March 11 regarding ADOR’s request for ‘prevention of agency status and prohibition of contract signing’ against NewJeans members reveal that Min and her legal representatives at the law firm Sejong were involved in the contract termination process. Notably, the termination notice sent to ADOR on November 29, 2024, was authored by Sejong, as indicated in the metadata of the PDF file. The document also bore the company name 'S&K,' confirming the use of a corporate account.

On November 28, a day before the termination notice was sent, NewJeans held a press conference, abruptly announcing the contract termination while claiming they had not yet appointed legal representation. However, in January 2025, NewJeans officially declared Sejong as their legal representative. The group later stated that following ADOR’s lawsuit challenging the validity of the contract termination, they sought legal counsel to respond to ADOR’s request for ‘prevention of agency status and prohibition of contract signing.’ They justified selecting Sejong due to its familiarity with past disputes involving HYBE and ADOR.

ADOR argues that Min’s involvement constitutes tampering, citing a timeline of events: NewJeans' request for corrective measures on November 14, Min’s resignation on November 20, and the contract termination announcement on November 28—just before the deadline for ADOR’s response to the corrective measures. As evidence, ADOR presented KakaoTalk messages, emails retrieved from Min’s mobile phone, and verbatim statements from a prior case between Min and ADOR in May 2024. ADOR also pointed out inconsistencies in NewJeans’ legal filings, such as the phrase ‘early this year’ not being updated to ‘early last year.’

Under contract law, termination or cancellation of an exclusive contract is only valid in cases of severe breaches of contractual obligations. ADOR maintains that it did not violate any significant terms, arguing that the termination is unlawful. Conversely, NewJeans insists the contract termination was justified due to an irreparable breakdown of trust. In court on March 7, all NewJeans members affirmed, ‘We have no desire to remain with ADOR.’

The entertainment industry is closely watching how the tampering allegations will influence the case. Recently, five major music industry organizations—including the Korea Management Association, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association, and the Korea Music Content Association—warned that if tampering succeeds, it could destabilize the K-pop industry and open the door for foreign capital to seize control. These organizations have urged the government and the National Assembly to take measures against tampering.

The court has set a deadline of March 14 for all necessary evidence and documents to be submitted. Additionally, NewJeans has been instructed to reorganize and submit a list of reasons supporting their contract termination. The first trial date for ADOR’s lawsuit contesting the validity of the contract termination is scheduled for April 3. With tampering at the heart of this dispute, the legal battle between ADOR and NewJeans is expected to have significant implications for exclusive contracts in the K-pop industry.

SEE ALSO: Wheesung’s mother in deep shock, funeral arrangements put on hold