K-pop girl group NewJeans is embroiled in a legal dispute with their agency ADOR. The agency is a subdivision of Hybe. The five-member group has decided to rebrand itself as NJZ and is set to debut as a new band soon. Amid this, reports suggest Hanni has refused to sign visa extension documents by ADOR.
For the uninitiated, Hanni is not a South Korean citizen, which means that she needs an E-6 visa to stay and work in the country. Her visa expired earlier this month so she is no longer allowed to carry out entertainment activities in the country.
As per Korean media reports, ADOR refused to comment on this matter and said, “We cannot confirm anything regarding questions about Hanni’s visa.”
Tension rose between ADOR and NewJeans following the departure of Min Hee-jin, the agency’s former CEO and NewJeans’ creative director. Last November, the girl group announced their intention to terminate their contracts. They cited bullying, harassment and subterfuge as the reasons for taking this step. The group also accused ADOR and Hybe of undermining their careers.
Following that, ADOR filed an injunction to prevent NewJeans from signing independent advertising deals. They also said, “Allowing unilateral terminations of exclusive contracts and independent activities without legal procedures could undermine investment in the entertainment industry and destabilize the K-pop sector.”
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