Overview

• Seoul Western District Court fined 28-year-old Kim 10 million KRW for twice trespassing into the group’s former Yongsan dorm in December 2024, stealing items and posting interior photos online.
• Prosecutors had sought a 10-month prison term but the court ruled a financial penalty was sufficient, citing minimal privacy risk since NewJeans had already vacated the residence.
• NewJeans vacated the dorm in November 2024 after notifying ADOR of their contract termination and have been on indefinite hiatus ever since.
• A Seoul High Court decision on June 17 rejected the members’ appeal and upheld ADOR’s exclusive management rights, maintaining a ban on any independent activities.
• The case has intensified calls for stronger legal protections around idol privacy and clearer boundaries for fan behavior in South Korea.