The five members of hit K-pop girl group NewJeans announced their decision to depart from their label ADOR, a subsidiary of powerhouse label HYBE, in a press conference on Nov. 28. The decision was a result of HYBE’s failure to meet the group’s set of demands in an ultimatum issued two weeks prior on Nov. 13. 

The series of demands included a call for HYBE to “rectify all major contract violations” and return former chief executive, Min Hee-jin. The group stated that they would “terminate their exclusive contracts” if such requirements were not met. 

Despite the band’s claim that their label had violated their contract through mistreatment and manipulation, ADOR said that their agreement “remains in full effect,” and urged the group to continue their partnership. 

“I’m worried for the overall health of the group,” David Yeo (9), NewJeans fan, said. “If the group leaves, it would benefit the members and their mental health, but it’s not going to help the whole group. They need a label like HYBE to connect them with huge media sources like YouTube and other existing modes of sharing content. I’m a really big fan of their content, and them leaving such a big entertainment company might not be that beneficial in the long run, which is why I’m really worried.”

In the press conference, band members recognized that they may not be able to perform under the name “NewJeans,” but stated that they will continue fighting for the name.