NJZ halts music activities following court ruling amid legal dispute
Members of K-pop girl group NJZ, formerly NewJeans, answer reporters’ questions after attending a hearing on their agency’s request for an injunction banning their independent activities at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on March 7. Image: Yonhap via The Korea Herald
K-pop girl group NJZ, formerly known as NewJeans, has said they will suspend all music activities in compliance with a recent court ruling.
“We have decided to stop all activities for the time being in accordance with the court ruling. It wasn’t an easy decision but a necessary one,” the five-act group said near the end of its performance at ComplexCon in Hong Kong on Sunday, March 23.
On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court granted an injunction sought by the group’s agency, ADOR, to prevent the five members from independently signing advertising contracts or pursuing separate music activities.
The ruling reaffirmed ADOR’s official representation of the group, saying it was difficult to conclude ADOR had violated its contractual obligations.
ADOR’s request for preliminary injunction against NewJeans (or NJZ) was granted by the Seoul Central District Court on Friday, March 21.
This means NJZ is banned from entering into any “advertising contracts independently — or through any third party” without ADOR’s approval.… pic.twitter.com/begVIBg6l4
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) March 21, 2025
With the ruling, NJZ cannot engage in music activities without ADOR’s approval.
“We knew this wouldn’t be easy from the start,” member Minji said. “We will continue to voice our opinions while respecting the court’s decision and the process. We have no regrets.”
Echoing her sentiment, Hyein added: “Some people may think staying [with ADOR] would have been better for us. But this was about protecting ourselves. We believe we will come back stronger and do not regret our decision.”
During the performance in Hong Kong, the group performed their latest song, “Pit Stop.”
New song
Cr.sh3rmanz#NJZ #엔제이지 pic.twitter.com/y84sBOqYas
— 🥛🍞 (@MilkBread_0507) March 23, 2025
The group was officially introduced as NJZ during the concert, marking the first use of the new name since its rebranding last month.
In November, NJZ accused ADOR of breaching the terms of their exclusive contract, while ADOR claims the contract remains valid until July 2029.
On Monday, ADOR expressed regret over the group’s decision to perform under their changed name and unilaterally announced a suspension of activities.
“We remain committed to supporting the members in accordance with the valid contract and hope to have a discussion with them about the future,” it said.
ADOR reportedly dispatched staff members to the concert, but they were unable to meet with the group.
