Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, just like her 'daughter' NewJeans.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 25th, the Seoul Western District Office of the Ministry of Labor has recently notified Min Hee-jin that it intends to impose fines concerning workplace bullying. It determined that her statements constituted workplace bullying and acknowledged that she did not conduct an objective investigation in the case related to Deputy Representative B.

Earlier, a former employee of ADOR, A, alleged that Min Hee-jin bullied her in the workplace last August. A also reported executive B for sexual harassment and workplace bullying, raising allegations that Min assisted B with a response strategy, allowing him to evade the charges.

In response to the allegations, Min Hee-jin refuted them by releasing messages exchanged with A on mobile messenger and a statement consisting of 18 pages. On the other hand, A stated that she requested a sincere apology and factual corrections from Min Hee-jin but did not receive a response. Subsequently, A filed a complaint against Min with the Mapo Police Station in Seoul for defamation and violation of personal information protection laws.

However, the Labor Office concluded that the sexual harassment issue raised by A against B did not constitute a violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.

In regard to this, Min Hee-jin's side stated, "The facts surrounding the statements determined as workplace bullying were misrecognized, and portions regarding the principles of workplace bullying and the obligation for objective investigation under the Labor Standards Act were confirmed to be misunderstood," and noted, "We will proceed with the formal objection process in sequence, including promptly submitting opinions to the administrative office. We plan to uncover the exact truth of the allegations and clear our name."

Separately, members of NewJeans remain dissatisfied with the ruling. On the 21st, the 50th Civil Settlement Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, accepted ADOR's provisional injunction against NewJeans' five members regarding 'the preservation of agency status and prohibition of advertising contracts'. The ruling stated, "Without ADOR's prior approval or consent, they must not engage in entertainment activities themselves (including through legal representatives) or through third parties."

The court judged that "the claims and materials submitted by the debtors (the five members of NewJeans) are insufficient to establish that the creditor (ADOR) violated significant obligations under the exclusive contract, leading to a termination reason or that the trust relationship between the parties has been irreparably damaged."

In response, ADOR stated, "We deeply appreciate the wise judgment of the provisional injunction court. As ADOR has legally confirmed its status as NewJeans' agency, we will fulfill our responsibilities to support the artists in the future. ADOR hopes to soon meet with the artists for an honest discussion, fully embracing the five members of NewJeans."

Despite this, Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and HAEIN stated through the NJZ SNS channel, "We respect the court's decision. However, this decision does not sufficiently consider the complete breakdown of trust between the members and ADOR," adding, "We reiterate that we cannot continue with the agency that has insulted our personalities and belittled our achievements, separate from any financial issues," reinforcing their determination to escape ADOR.

In an interview released by Time magazine, members of NewJeans stated, "We were disappointed with the court ruling, but we did not expect the issues in the K-pop industry to change overnight. Compared to everything we have experienced so far, this is just another phase in our journey. This is the reality of Korea. However, that is why we believe change and growth are necessary. It seems that Korea wants to make us revolutionaries."

While the members of NewJeans had stated in South Korea that they respect the court's decision, they did not hide their discomfort during the Time magazine interview, saying things like, "We were disappointed with the court ruling," and "It seems that Korea wants to make us revolutionaries." This has drawn greater attention to the upcoming main trial session scheduled for April 3, which will confirm the efficacy of NewJeans' exclusive contract.

NewJeans and Min Hee-jin have declared 'disobedience' and are continuing their endless legal battles.

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