On November 13, HYBE shares jumped ₩18,000 (6.19%) from the previous session, trading at ₩309,000 on the Korea Stock Exchange. The surge follows news that all five NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein have announced their return to ADOR following a year-long contract dispute.
This announcement marks the end of a tumultuous chapter for the chart-topping girl group. In November 2024, the members declared their exclusive contracts terminated due to an internal conflict between ADOR’s CEO and parent company HYBE, specifically regarding the ouster of former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. ADOR contested the termination, arguing that the contracts were still valid, and filed a legal injunction to prevent members from carrying out independent activities.
Korean courts sided with ADOR in both the injunction and the first trial. Unless members appeal by midnight Nov. 14, the court’s ruling that the exclusive contracts remain valid will become final.
Amid these developments, ADOR confirmed the return of Haerin and Hyein, with the remaining members also expressing their intention to join. Analysts now expect a full return of the group under ADOR, which could reshape HYBE’s revenue projections for the next few years.
In a report released on the same day, Meritz Securities increased their target price on shares of HYBE from ₩370,000 to ₩380,000. Analyst Kim Min Young wrote: “NewJeans surpassed its break-even point within a year and generated ₩33.5 billion in operating profit for ADOR in 2023. With a full group return in the second half of next year, they could contribute ₩6-7 billion in 2026 and potentially over ₩20-30 billion annually from 2027 onwards.”
The perspective of the investment community New Jeans as an important cash cow for HYBE, and their performance is expected to stabilize investor confidence and improve the brand’s competitiveness in the market.
The return of New Jeans which has quickly become a global icon with chart-topping hits and luxury endorsements, arrives at a critical time. Their reappearance under the HYBE umbrella not only secures a valuable intellectual property asset, but also calms market anxieties triggered by the internal rift between HYBE and ADOR leadership.
All eyes are now on whether the group will file an appeal before the November 14 deadline. However, given the confirmed returns and lack of resistance from members, the ruling is likely to be accepted, solidifying their contractual ties with ADOR and opening the door to New Jeans to dominate K-pop once again.
Sources: Daum
