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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SEOUL, October 31, 2025 — Shares of HYBE Co., Ltd. surged to an all-time high after a Seoul court ruled that the exclusive contract between girl group NewJeans and its management label ADOR remains valid.
As of 9:42 a.m. on Thursday, HYBE’s stock was trading at ₩341,000, up ₩16,500 (5.08%) from the previous session, after briefly hitting a 52-week high of ₩336,500 earlier in the morning, according to the Korea Exchange.
The rally followed a decision by the Seoul Central District Court (Civil Division 41, Judge Jeong Hoe-il), which ruled that “the trust relationship between ADOR and NewJeans has not broken down,” thereby affirming that the exclusive management contract remains in effect.
The court also determined that ADOR’s alleged failure to fulfill contractual obligations — claimed by NewJeans after the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin — was unfounded, stating that the allegations were part of a “preemptive maneuver” orchestrated by Min prior to her dismissal.
In response, ADOR said, “We will reaffirm our commitment to the responsibilities required of a management company under the exclusive contract. As stated during the trial, preparations for NewJeans’ next full-length album and upcoming promotions have already been completed.”
ADOR had filed the lawsuit in December 2024 to confirm the validity of its exclusive contract with NewJeans, after the group unilaterally announced contract termination the previous month, citing alleged breaches of obligation by ADOR.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
