https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202503211533003?pt=nv
Mar 21 2025, 15:34 KST
NewJeans' contract violation claims difficult to prove
Court finds it hard to conclude trust relationship completely broken
Independent activities raise concerns over ADOR's reputation damage
Members of NewJeans (NJZ) answering press questions while leaving the Seoul Central District Court building after attending the hearing for the 'injunction to preserve agency status and prohibit advertising contract execution' on the 7th. From left: Hanni, Minji, Hyein, Haerin, Danielle. Yonhap News
The court has ruled in favor of ADOR. The members must continue activities as 'NewJeans' rather than 'NJZ'.
The Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 50 (Presiding Judge Kim Sang-hoon) approved ADOR's request for an injunction to 'preserve agency status and prohibit advertising contract execution' against NewJeans members on the 21st.
The court rejected all grounds for contract termination claimed by NewJeans members.
On November 13 last year, NewJeans members notified ADOR that they would terminate their exclusive contract if issues including former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin's reinstatement were not addressed within 14 days, and subsequently sent a contract termination notice on November 29.
The members raised concerns about ▲potential producing vacuum due to former CEO Min's dismissal ▲then-CEO Park Ji-won's statement about "giving NewJeans members a long vacation" ▲the dispute between Director Shin Woo-seok of Dolphiners and ADOR ▲and HYBE's May 10, 2023 music report containing the phrase "just throw out 'New' and create a new round."
Additionally, they pointed out that BELIFT LAB's group ILLIT attempted to undermine NewJeans' uniqueness ▲NewJeans member Hanni received dismissive comments from a BELIFT LAB manager ▲trainee-era photos and videos of NewJeans members were leaked ▲HYBE PR representative made disparaging remarks about NewJeans' achievements ▲NewJeans' achievements were undervalued due to HYBE's album pushing practices ▲negative public opinion formed due to HYBE and ADOR's retaliatory audit against former CEO Min ▲and HYBE CSO (current CEO) Lee Jae-sang's statement about "considering damaging NewJeans' brand value to take down both Min Hee-jin and NewJeans."
Regarding this, the court ruled that "based on the claims and evidence submitted so far by NewJeans members, it is difficult to consider that ADOR has sufficiently proven to have violated important contractual obligations."