Ador, the management agency of NewJeans, has rejected the group’s abrupt announcement of contract termination, asserting that their exclusive agreement remains valid until July 31, 2029. The K-pop label’s response came after NewJeans held a press conference Thursday to reveal their decision,

What’s next for NewJeans after their departure from ADOR? From new labels to going independent, here are some possible theories we explored.

NewJeans also revealed that they want to continue working with Min Hee-jin, the former ADOR CEO and the group’s creative director. Min was removed from her position at the label after HYBE accused her of attempting to gain control of ADOR from its parent company by selling company shares and leaking confidential information.

After NewJeans announced contract termination with ADOR, a big financial blow hits HYBE, amounting to almost half a billion dollars.