NewJeans members say they are leaving agency after dispute

At Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) – Members of NewJeans, one of the most popular K-pop groups, said on Thursday they are leaving their agency ADOR, a subsidiary of powerhouse brand HYBE.

The group has been caught in the middle of conflicts between executives of parent company HYBE and ADOR’s former CEO, who is the band’s creative director.

The latest controversy in the K-pop scene has gripped South Korea this year, with a blame game involving accusations, audits and an emotional press conference making headlines.

The five members held a late-night press conference to announce their departure from the agency, saying they would like to work with Min Hee-jin, the former chief who left ADOR.

“When we leave ADOR, we will strive to continue freely with the activities that we really want,” said Danielle, one of the members.

“We really want to be able to release new music for the Bunnies, next year, as soon as possible, whenever,” she said, referring to their fans. “We really hope we have the opportunity to meet you from all over the world.”

The members said that they might not be able to use the band’s name when they terminated the contract with ADOR.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by William Maclean)