ADOR Asserts Full Support for NewJeans Since Debut

At 10:30 AM on the 7th, the 50th Civil Affairs Department of the Seoul Central District Court held a hearing for an injunction filed by ADOR against the five members of NewJeans. The injunction seeks to preserve ADOR’s status as the group’s agency and prohibit the members from signing independent advertising contracts. On this day, ADOR CEO Kim Joo-young and all five members of NewJeans appeared in court.

ADOR’s Legal Argument

ADOR’s legal representatives were the first to present their case. They emphasized, "None of the eight corrective action demands made by the members justify the termination of their exclusive contract. NewJeans is one of South Korea’s top-tier girl groups, and their success was made possible through the dedication of ADOR and HYBE’s employees."

ADOR also highlighted HYBE’s significant financial investment in the group. "HYBE invested a total of 21 billion KRW into NewJeans—an unprecedented sum for a single group. Even before their debut, they gained exposure by appearing in BTS’s music videos and participating in challenge videos with artists from other HYBE labels."

They further argued that the members' reason for terminating the contract is based on personal grievances rather than legal grounds, stating, "The claim that HYBE simply dislikes the members is not a valid justification for contract termination. Issues related to settlement payments, activity disruptions, or contract fairness were not even mentioned in their argument."

The Contract Dispute Between ADOR and NewJeans

The dispute between ADOR and NewJeans began in November 2023. On November 29, the group formally notified ADOR of their contract termination and began promoting independently under a new stage name. They also announced their first independent release at ComplexCon in Hong Kong on the 23rd.

However, ADOR maintains that its exclusive contract with NewJeans remains valid until July 31, 2029. On December 3, 2023, ADOR filed a lawsuit to legally confirm the validity of the contract, asserting, "A unilateral claim of broken trust does not constitute legal grounds for termination." Following this, on January 6, 2024, ADOR also filed for an injunction to preserve its authority as the group’s management agency and block the members from signing independent advertising contracts.

https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/241/0003417968