NewJeans has officially declared a break with HYBE and ADOR and pushed one of K-pop’s messiest ongoing disputes into a new phase in 2026.
On April 16, all the members said they were ending their exclusive contract and accused HYBE and ADOR of “mistreatment” and “manipulation.” They also called for Min Hee-jin to be reinstated, making it clear that the collapse in trust is due to the former ADOR CEO’s removal.
Will NewJeans Stay with ADOR?
One of the most shocking parts of the announcement was the name issue. During a livestream, Danielle said the members understand that they may not be able to keep using “NewJeans”. But they plan to keep moving forward, no matter what name they end up promoting under. This statement shows how serious this split has become.
ADOR responded quickly. The company said it regretted that the contract-termination press conference had taken place before it could fully review and respond. But ADOR’s position doesn’t change; the exclusive contract is still valid. A Korean court previously ruled in favor of HYBE and ADOR on the validity of the contract in late 2025.
Why the NewJeans Split Erased 1 Trillion Won
The market also reacted fast. HYBE shares fell as much as 6.97% in just a single day. This erased more than $420 million in market value. According to some of the major financial outlets, investors aren’t just reacting to NewJeans leaving HYBE. They are reacting to the much bigger chaos about ADOR and Min Hee-jin, as well as the future of one of HYBE’s most popular groups.
