The K-pop group NewJeans has separated from the agency amid a dispute over mistreatment

Chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans have announced they are leaving their agency after accusing them of “mistreatment” and “manipulation”.

The five-member girl band announced their departure from Ador, a subsidiary of the power label Hybe, in a late-night press conference on Thursday.

However, Ador said his contract with NewJeans still stands because the agency did not violate any terms.

The dispute is the latest development in a long-running conflict between former NewJeans producer Min Hee-Jin and Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk that has made headlines in South Korea.

One of the group’s members, Hanni, has claimed this She was harassed at work while working with the label.

“This is not the type of work ethic we respect nor want to be a part of, and continuing to work for a company that has no intention of protecting NewJeans would only do us harm,” Hanni said.

She added that the group had been “subjected to mistreatment, not only towards us but also towards our staff” and said the group had experienced “deliberate misunderstanding and manipulation in several areas”.

Ador maintains that its contract with NewJeans remains valid because it has not breached its obligations and has asked the group to “continue its activities with the agency.”

“A unilateral allegation that trust has been breached does not constitute valid grounds for termination of a contract,” Ador said in the statement following the group’s announcement.

“We regret that the press conference on the termination of the contract took place without sufficient consideration and before our response to the letter of demand,” the agency said.

NewJeans said they would like to work with Min, the group’s former mastermind who left Ador in August after allegations that she planned to split from Hybe and take NewJeans with her.

This would have made NewJeans and Ador independent of Hybe. Min has denied the allegations against her.

She has previously accused Hybe to form another girl group, Illit, which copied NewJeans’ music and appearance.

On November 13, NewJeans filed a legal notice with Ador, requiring the company to remedy violations of its exclusive contracts within 14 days.

They said failure to meet their demands would result in the termination of their contracts.

The group has asked for an apology for a comment allegedly made by an executive at Belift Lab, another Hybe subsidiary, accusing the company of workplace bullying. They have also called for Min’s immediate reinstatement.

They added that they would honor their contractual obligations, but warned their fans at the conference that they may no longer be able to use the band’s name after the contract ends.

Prior to NewJeans’ announcement, the band had signed a seven-year contract that expires in 2029.

The contract contains a clause stating that the parties can unilaterally terminate the contract if the other has breached its obligation. However, the matter is likely to end up in court as both sides cannot agree. In such a scenario, a judge would decide whether the contract can be terminated and whether one side owes the other damages.

In October, K-pop news site Koreaboo estimated that members would have to do this Pay about 300 billion South Korean won (approx. £170 million) to terminate the contract early.

But group singer Haerin said it “makes no sense” for the group to have to pay a breach of contract fee.

“We never broke any rules,” said Haerin. “We did nothing but do our best – they are the ones to blame. Hybe and Ador are the ones responsible.”

Ador said it had not “violated” the terms of the agreement, adding that it “respectfully requests that the group continues its collaboration with Ador on upcoming activities.”

“Despite multiple requests to meet the artists, our efforts were unsuccessful. We hope that the members are now ready to engage in an open and honest discussion,” it said, referring to NewJeans.

The group has been embroiled in controversy for a year, with audits and emotional accusations making South Korean headlines.

In October, a member of the group, Hanni, 20, testified before the Working Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly at a hearing Harassment in the workplace.

She claimed that entertainment agency Hybe had deliberately undermined her band and accused senior managers of deliberately ignoring her.

After several incidents, she said, “I realized it wasn’t just a feeling. I honestly believed the company hated us.”

Hybe shares were trading around 3% lower in Friday morning trading in Seoul.

NewJeans debuted in 2022 and is one of Hybe’s most successful K-pop groups alongside BTS.

With slick pop hits like “Super Shy” and “OMG,” NewJeans were the eighth highest-grossing act in the world last year and were nominated for best group at this year’s MTV Awards.

The five members – Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein – were founded by Ador in 2022 and are between 16 and 20 years old.