NewJeans Loses ADOR Lawsuit as Korean Court Enforces Exclusive Contract

A Korean tribunal has rejected NewJeans’ effort to interruption distant from its statement ADOR, dealing a large triumph to the HYBE subsidiary successful its closely-watched ineligible conflict with the chart-topping K-pop group.

The 5 members of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — person been fighting since past November to permission ADOR and marque euphony independently nether the moniker NJZ. The women assertion ADOR broke their spot with the controversial dismissal of their mentor, erstwhile CEO Min Hee-jin.

However, ADOR has argued that NewJeans’ 2022 exclusive declaration bars immoderate autarkic activities until 2029. A ineligible conflict ensued and, aft months of back and forth, a Korean tribunal sided with ADOR connected Thursday (Oct. 30).

According to Korean quality reports, a justice successful the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Min’s termination was not capable grounds for NewJeans to void its seven-year declaration with ADOR.

“Nowhere successful the exclusive declaration is it stated that ADOR indispensable entrust the absorption duties for NewJeans to Min Hee-jin,” wrote Presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il, according to the Chosun Daily. “Merely the information that NewJeans personally places precocious spot successful Min Hee-jin does not marque guaranteeing her the presumption of ADOR’s CEO a important work nether the exclusive contract.”

In an authoritative connection connected Thursday, ADOR expressed “deep gratitude for the court’s decision.”

“We sincerely anticipation that today’s judgment, which comes aft semipermanent verification of assorted claims and facts and reaffirms anterior rulings, volition service arsenic an accidental for the artists to calmly bespeak connected this matter,” said the label. “ADOR is committed to re-emphasizing its relation and responsibilities arsenic NewJeans’ absorption agency. As we stated during the trial, we person completed preparations for the artist’s activities, including the merchandise of a workplace album, and are waiting. We volition bash our utmost to instrumentality to the fans done discussions with the artist.”

The NewJeans members, meanwhile, enactment retired a connection done their lawyers saying they program to entreaty the decision.

“NewJeans members respect the court’s judgment, but it is intolerable to instrumentality to this institution and proceed mean amusement activities successful the existent concern wherever the spot narration with ADOR is wholly shattered,” said the instrumentality steadfast Shin & Kim, arsenic reported by the Korea Times.

NewJeans’ ineligible conflict with ADOR has captivated the K-pop world, wherever companies similar HYBE clasp immense powerfulness and artists seldom talk retired against their labels.

The radical recovered planetary occurrence successful 2023 with the ...