Category News

Popular K-pop girl group NewJeans was ruled out of South Korea on Friday because they had sued their label ADOR over what they called “mistreatment” by the company.

The group made headlines in November by announcing their intention to leave ADOR, whose parent company, HYBE, is the owner of K-pop sensation BTS.

The group’s members are prohibited from engaging in independent commercial activities, and the label filed for an injunction to keep NewJeans’ status as the group’s managing agency.

South Korean singer Wheesung was found dead at the age of 43. READ ALSO:

The court sided with ADOR on Friday, ruling that the group, who are now referred to as NJZ, must not engage in independent endeavors.

The label would suffer “significant damages” if the group “unilaterally terminates their exclusive contract” with ADOR and renamed themselves in their own right.

The group’s actions “would seriously damage NewJeans’ reputation as a management company as well,” the court added.

The K-pop group NewJeans made their debut in 2022, making them one of HYBE’s most popular artists.

Following allegations that HYBE forced out Min Hee-jin, the group’s star producer, NewJeans and ADOR, into a heated contract dispute since August, the two have been caught in a heated dispute.

HYBE declined to grant a ultimatum to the band for Min’s reinstatement.

The members then filed a public grievance, claiming that the members had purposefully sabotaged their careers.

While working with ADOR, band member Hanni claimed last year that the group had “deliberate miscommunications and manipulation regarding multiple areas.”

To continue working for a company without any intention of protecting NewJeans would only cause us harm, she said at the time. This is not the kind of work ethic we respect and don’t want to be a part of.

However, the court on Friday stated that it is “difficult to conclude that ADOR has sufficiently violated the essential obligations of the exclusive contract” based on the allegations and evidence presented by the group.

ADOR praised the court’s “judicious” decision, saying they “eagerly anticipate meeting with the artists for a heartfelt conversation at the very least.”

We are fully committed to supporting the artists going forward, the label said in a statement. “With our status as NewJeans’ exclusive agency now legally affirmed, we are fully committed to supporting the artists.”

If you’ve ever watched a sci-fi flick from the 80s, you’d probably expect us to be living in a future where all our mundane tasks are automated. While we haven’t quite reached the point of AI taking over hoovering entirely, we’re not far off thanks to the brilliant invention of robot vacuums – and they’re becoming more affordable by the day.

Sure, a robot vacuum is a bit of a luxury, but it can be a godsend for managing those minor clean-ups, extending the time between having to haul out the hefty cleaner from its hiding place under the stairs. If you’re on the hunt for one, Amazon has just slashed the price of one of its top-rated gadgets in this category, offering a whopping 60% discount off its original £499.99 price tag.

Right now, shoppers can snap up the Bagotte robot vacuum cleaner for £199.99 – that’s a staggering £300 off its RRP. Brimming with features, it’s perfect for any household where keeping up with the vacuuming feels like an uphill battle.

READ MORE: Shoppers are raving about ‘perfect for every day’ lip perfector loved by Princess Andre

READ MORE: Jess Wright nails spring styling with ‘beyond dreamy’ yellow blazer from highstreet brand

This cute bug-like bot boasts impressive suction power for such a compact gadget. It delivers a robust 4,000Pa of suction that’s more than up to the task of dealing with hair and pet fur. Bagotte cleverly incorporated three different suction levels into the device, enabling it to switch to the appropriate level depending on the surface on which it detects its cleaning.

The battery on this nifty gadget is designed to keep the place spotless for a whopping 150 minutes straight, after which it’ll smartly scoot back to its base station. There, it’ll offload any grime it’s gobbled up into a sizeable 1.5l bin and juice itself up for the next tidying round, reports the Manchester Evening News.

As the master of this robotic cleaner, you’re in full control of when it kicks off its cleaning spree. Whether you fancy setting a regular schedule or living it up in the high-tech age by syncing it with Amazon Alexa or Google Home for voice-activated commands – the future of housekeeping is now.

And it seems users are chuffed with their Bagotte vacuums, as it boasts a near-perfect score of 4.8 stars from 121 reviews online. A whopping 93% of those are four stars or more, with one chuffed buyer gushing: “It has great suction power. The battery life is really good. Picks up just about anything in its way. Great quality with so many different functions and features. Very easy to set up and use especially through the app.”

Echoing the praise, another review reads: “I bought this for my son and he is over the moon with it! It came very promptly and wrapped very secure. It does all his floors wood and carpets with so much ease! It’s very easy to charge which lasts a long time! It is very quiet so you can be watching TV as it hovers over the floor! Also very easy to clean! Now my other so wants one as he wax so impressed with it. I would highly recommend it.”

One chuffed customer shared: “We named him Ron and he’s like having a little robotic friend, who takes better care of the flat then I do hes such a help with hoovering and mopping so we just send him around to do his own little thing. Overall best purchase I’ve made.”

However, not everyone is singing praises. A less impressed user left the sole critical review on Amazon, stating: “Really overpriced vacuum cleaner. Poor quality, poor suction. Really not worth the price they are asking!” hinting that they might have shelled out the full £499.99 for the device.

But bargain hunters rejoice, as the Bagootte robot vacuum cleaner is currently up for grabs at a steal – slashed down to £199.99 on Amazon. And if it doesn’t sweep you off your feet, Amazon’s top-notch returns policy has got you covered, so you can give it a whirl worry-free.

For those counting the pennies but still craving some robotic cleaning assistance, the Lefant M320 is another option that won’t break the bank. It comes with a mop function too, and while it’s not on sale, it’s available for an affordable £135.99 on Amazon.

For the traditionalists who prefer a bit of elbow grease, Smoture is offering a deal on its cordless vacuum cleaner, now with a tidy £30 discount. At the moment, you can nab this dust-buster for £129.99 on Amazon.

If you prefer to shop elsewhere, you can pick up this Liectroux V3s Pro Wet Dry Robot Vacuum Cleaner from Debenhams for £191.20 down from £299. Meanwhile, over at Shark, you can nab this Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop for £299.99 down from £399.99.