The fate of the blockbuster K-pop girl group NewJeans and their agency Adore will be decided on Oct. 30, as Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 41 holds the final hearing on Adore’s “contract validity confirmation” lawsuit against the members. The dispute came to light after a heated press conference on April 25 last year by Min Hee-jin, then chief executive of Adore, in which she alleged that Hybe, Adore’s parent company, obstructed NewJeans’ debut and activities and damaged their value amid plagiarism accusations. Hybe countered that Min spread false information in an attempt to seize control of Adore. After Min was dismissed as Adore’s CEO last August, NewJeans’ members notified the termination of their exclusivity contract, while Adore argued that the termination cited no valid grounds and filed suit.

The case, unlike the sensational opening, has become a tight stalemate of competing claims. In March, the court granted Adore’s injunction petition aimed at preserving the agency’s status and prohibiting certain advertising contracts. All NewJeans members appeared in court to allege discriminatory treatment by Adore, yet the court sided with Adore, finding that the core obligations of the exclusive contract had largely been fulfilled. With the 11 grounds for contract termination raised by NewJeans rejected, expectations are that the main dispute will continue along a similar trajectory. Still, some analysts caution that the outcome isn’t certain, noting that police in July absolved Hybe of accusations of embezzlement involving Min Hee-jin.

If NewJeans prevail, the members could break free from the influence of Bang Si-hyuk, Hybe’s chairman of the board, and chart a new path with Min Hee-jin. If they lose, options are limited: sever ties with Min and return to Adore, or carry the dispute up to the Supreme Court. But a prolonged hiatus would place a heavy burden on the members, who remain highly popular with fans.