5 Key Takeaways From NJZ’s (NewJeans’) First Round Of Interrogations At Court

This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.

The Seoul Central District Court recently held the first round of questioning for NJZ‘s (NewJeans‘) case against ADOR. ADOR maintains that their contract is valid, while all five members of NJZ (who attended in person) say otherwise. Here are 5 key takeaways from the first round of interrogations.

1. ADOR claimed NJZ owes their success to HYBE.

According to the label, HYBE’s ₩21.0 billion KRW (about $14.5 million USD) investment and support was the driving force behind NJZ’s success. ADOR’s legal counsel stated that the investment NJZ received was “unprecedented” and that the “members’ talents and hard works” alone “cannot explain all of their successes.” They also pointed out that as ADOR’s only artist, NJZ received 100% of the employees’ support.

NJZ speaking with the press at court

2. ADOR claimed NJZ’s relationship with BTS boosted NJZ’s popularity.

ADOR’s legal counsel pointed out that NJZ’s Minji and Hanni appeared in BTS’s “Permission to Dance” video. They claimed that being associated with BTS as “BTS’s little sister group” boosted NJZ’s popularity. Furthermore, ADOR claimed that Min Hee Jin personally asked for NJZ to be promoted using connections to BTS, HYBE’s most famous group.

BTS | HYBE

3. NJZ claimed HYBE tried to ruin their reputation after the Jeju Air plane crash.

During questioning, NJZ brought up the fatal Jeju Air plane crash that occurred last December. NJZ claims that HYBE stopped them from wearing memorial ribbons on stage in Japan because “it might cause an issue with the Japanese broadcasting station.” After getting approval from the station, Hanni quickly made ribbons before NJZ went on stage. Later, NJZ said that they saw other HYBE artists wearing memorial ribbons.

NJZ performing with mourning ribbons on their shirt collars

Afterward, we saw other artists from HYBE wearing memorial ribbons. If the debtors had listened to the creditors, we would have been a target of criticism. This is evidence that the creditors are damaging the debtor’s reputation behind their backs.

— NJZ

ADOR, on the other hand, stated that NJZ’s claim about the ribbons was “misinformation.” ADOR stated that HYBE did not prevent any of its artists from wearing ribbons. Rather, NJZ had “expressed their desire to wear the ribbon they had prepared themselves” instead of the ribbons the company had chosen.

4. ADOR revealed footage of ILLIT greeting NJZ.

Previously, NJZ claimed that a manager of another group had instructed that group (later revealed to be ILLIT) to ignore NJZ in HYBE’s office’s artist-only area. According to NJZ, CCTV footage of the incident was deleted by HYBE. At the hearing, however, ADOR presented the alleged footage.

Danielle can be seen in the CCTV footage with ILLIT

Hanni can be seen in the CCTV footage with ILLIT

In it, three ILLIT members can be seen bowing 90 degrees to Hanni and Danielle.

5. NJZ’s legal counsel claimed HYBE discriminated against NJZ.

The group’s representatives cited HYBE’s “large-scale media play,” “abandoning NJZ” to create ILLIT, ILLIT’s plagiarism controversy, and the fallout with Dolphiners Film as examples of unfair treatment.

ILLIT | HYBE

NJZ’s legal counsel also alleged that HYBE “neglected” NJZ in favor of debuting LE SSERAFIM first.

LE SSERAFIM | Source Music

Additionally, Hyein‘s brand deal and LE SSERAFIM’s overlapped. ADOR and Source Music refuted these claims.

Additionally, Hyein was chosen as the ambassador for a specific brand, but suddenly, LE SSERAFIM was also named as ambassadors. When we inquired with the brand, they confirmed that HYBE had requested it and assumed that they had talked about it with us first. The brand even apologized for the matter.

— NJZ’s legal representatives

HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin