A recent investigative report published by The New York Times has brought to light, for the first time, some disturbing facts about NewJeans’ contract with ADOR.
The original 5-member lineup of NewJeans | @newjeans_official/Instagram
The report focused on NewJeans’ treatment by ADOR as a case study of how K-Pop companies maintain tight control over their artists. The publication obtained the contract, signed by the members as trainees between the ages of 14 and 17, and some of its clauses appeared rather alarming.
The redacted contracts of the NewJeans members | New York Times
No Basic Protection For Minor Artists
The report stated that NewJeans’ contract deviated from the standard template set by the South Korean government, which guarantees the right to physical and mental health, schooling, and sleep. It also restricts the label from overworking minors. Since their contract rejected this language, NewJeans were not guaranteed the proper legal protection for their basic rights.
| New York Times
Non-negotiable Contract
According to the emails obtained by The Times, the terms of these contracts were “essentially non-negotiable.” In 2022, the mother of one of the members supposedly requested multiple changes before signing, and ADOR’s Vice President responded, saying that if she didn’t agree to the original terms, “It may be best to reconsider the contract itself.” The parents eventually ended up signing.
Rights Over Music And Identity
The contracts also stated that the label was allowed to sell NewJeans’ music even after the deal ended, while slashing the group’s share of the earnings. In the opinion of legal experts, this was an unusual clause. In addition, the contract grants ADOR the right to use all members’ likenesses, names, photos, handwriting, voices, and any other elements tied to their identities, and to continue licensing them. The members will be paid when their likeness is used, but they wouldn’t have any control over where their faces or voices are being used. This includes any AI-generated voice clones or chatbots.
Clauses Of Cosmetic Surgery
The contract compelled the NewJeans members to incur, in part, the costs of all “beauty expenses,” including plastic surgery, skincare, and “body shape correction,” that the label incurred on their behalf during the trainee period. According to sources close to the group, before NewJeans’ debut, the label had photographers take photos from multiple angles to study how light would fall on each member on stage. It then suggested procedures to multiple members based on the visual analysis. Though HYBE’s representatives denied coercing trainees into undergoing procedures, sources stated that, in the K-Pop industry, suggestions about cosmetic procedures are hardly considered coercive in the first place.
These new details about NewJeans’ contract have left fans horrified, though the publication recorded that most of these restrictive terms are considered “standard” ones in K-Pop. The report has also raised doubts about whether former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin was responsible for the exploitative terms. However, as fans pointed out, HYBE has a centralized legal management system, and, based on available documentation, artist contracts appear to be subject to corporate oversight and standardization under the parent company.
did they not sign this with min heejin? specifically ador who was min heejin’s at the time? who newjeans defended until they went back to ador? https://t.co/KzYEmxjaUS
— xan⁷ (@vopelvr) November 5, 2026
so this only proves further how horrible mhj is because she was the ceo and they signed with her at that time also how shit their parents are because they allowed this to happen and signed those girls off saurrr basically everything we’ve already been saying https://t.co/90y6djco4J
— ً ً (@jkksrula) November 5, 2026
All labels are required to use HYBE’s contract template, which means this applies to all HYBE artists https://t.co/hCC8d2mA49
— s•fi (@giveupdontup) November 5, 2026
According to HYBE’s own documentation, the company handles legal matters for all of its labels through an internal Legal Management System.
This includes:
• Exlcusive Contract Drafting
• Exclusive Contract Review pic.twitter.com/8N9iRnpLfw
— About NewJeans (@AboutNWJNSMusic) November 5, 2026
this is literally slavery and the hybe stans want us to believe the girls in the wrong https://t.co/LP1dkLdObp
— roxy (@roxycon_) November 5, 2026
Now think about it, contracts are handled by HYBE Legal team because its a shared services that labels pay for at Hybe. Every idol in that company has the same contract. The idols in that company has their voices muted no matter how much they cry for help. https://t.co/T4f8EJOfv5
— chimken destroyer / FREE NEWJEANS GAGO (@ephiechingu) November 5, 2026
just a note for ppl who are illiterate: HYBE’s legal teams are the one that made the contracts. fuck hybe!!!!! https://t.co/020lqS8msv
— Naji (@najiboom) November 5, 2026
reminder that this means that other artists under hybe or any hybe affiliated label most likely have the same contract. newjeans wasn’t the first victim of these slave contracts and they won’t be the last if there isn’t real repercussions for these companies https://t.co/4b8GRORn9y
— ⁷₂² (@lackoflov3e) November 5, 2026