![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR on Oct. 30 after months of legal turmoil sparked by NewJeans’ attempt to terminate their contract with their label ADOR. The ruling has divided fans, exposing a contrast between South Korea’s entertainment culture and global fandom expectations. While some fans framed the situation as NewJeans unreasonably challenging the label, others praised the five members for speaking out about unfair treatment and contract violations.
In late 2024, the group filed to dissolve their contracts, which bound NewJeans to ADOR exclusively until July 31, 2029. They accused their label of unfair treatment and the lost ability to properly manage them after the removal of Min Hee-jin, ADOR’s former CEO until Aug. 27, 2024. Their bold move sparked extensive legal proceedings, media coverage and fan debate over the fairness of their pre-established contract.
NewJeans members Haerin Kang, Minji Kim, Hyein Lee, Danielle Marsh and Hanni Pham officially announced on Nov. 12 that they agreed to comply with the ruling and rejoin ADOR. NewJeans fan Janvi Trivedi (10) reflected on the group’s solidified decision to move forward together under their former label after weeks of uncertainty.
“During the lawsuit, fans were quite supportive of NewJeans and their cause to break away from ADOR,” Janvi said. “After they decided to return to ADOR, those same fans were still happy for them. This shows how fans don’t really think about the human aspects of the idols themselves. While looking at the reactions of their return, many fans seemed more focused on the outcome rather than the personal struggles that the idols went through.”
Certain fans, influenced by deeply rooted Korean cultural norms that value loyalty and submission to authority, responded especially harshly to NewJeans’ decision to file for termination. History teacher Jonathan Rim, who is Korean, emphasized how these values can become more complicated in a different setting, such as the United States.
“In Korean culture, we don’t like to rock the boat,” Rim said. “We don’t like to speak out, and we just go with what we’re told. Especially in this country, we have this concept where Asians are model minorities because we don’t make noise and just follow what we’re supposed to do.”
Maintaining a peaceful group dynamic and speaking formally to elders are norms that reinforce the concept that challenging hierarchies disrupts the balance in daily life. NewJeans speaking out can feel unorthodox within these expectations, especially in relationships built on mutual responsibility.
When member Hanni spoke up about K-pop industry mistreatment during an interview, some fans used the lawsuit as a way to attack her online, claiming she was anti-Korean and only speaking out because she was in conflict with her label. As the case progressed, fan criticism escalated into hate that overlooked the complexity of the situation. NewJeans supporter Anya Lu (10) highlighted that members are entitled to speaking up for themself and that the media does not always reflect the full reality behind the scenes.
“I can’t say the hate is completely unreasonable, but it’s overexcessive,” Anya said. “The members are super young, and they are being criticized for their every move. I do feel bad for them, but at the same time I’m sure they fully understood the consequences of going into the lawsuit.”
Beyond the courtroom, the case prompted public reflection on the relationship between artists and their management. The dispute evolved into more than a legal matter; it set a precedent that challenging a major K-pop label can carry serious legal consequences and even larger fan backlash. Junior Vivian Wu, an avid NewJeans follower, noted the emotional stakes of the case.
“As soon as the case came out, obviously, there was the possibility of disbandment, and so that was what I was mostly stressed about,” Vivian said. “The court ruling basically sets a precedent for a lot of cases to come. A lot of artist versus label disputes will be settled as such in the future, and that’s what worries me.”
