ADOR has filed for an injunction against the members of the group NewJeans to maintain the status of the agency and to prohibit the signing of advertising contracts.
On the afternoon of the 13th, ADOR announced through an official statement, “Last week, we filed for an injunction against the members of NewJeans at the Seoul Central District Court to maintain the status of the agency and to prohibit the signing of advertising contracts.”
This injunction is to confirm that ADOR is recognized as the management company (agency) under the exclusive contract until the first trial ruling of the 'Confirmation of Validity of Exclusive Contract' filed by ADOR on December 3 last year at the Seoul Central District Court.
Additionally, it is a measure to prevent NewJeans members from independently signing advertising contracts and engaging in advertising activities without ADOR's approval or consent.
ADOR explained, “This decision was made to prevent confusion and damage to third parties, such as advertisers, as the members of NewJeans, who unilaterally declared the termination of their exclusive contract, continue to attempt to sign contracts by contacting advertisers independently.”
Furthermore, ADOR stated, “We plan to confirm that the members' unilateral claims of contract termination are unjust through the previously filed confirmation of validity of the exclusive contract. However, since it may take considerable time until the final ruling, we had no choice but to urgently apply for an injunction to stop the ongoing confusion.”
ADOR emphasized that this injunction application reflects its intention to work together with the members of NewJeans. ADOR stated, “If the confusion in the market and industry continues due to the members' independent actions, the brand value of NewJeans, ADOR's only artist, will inevitably decline, and as a result, ADOR may lose its competitiveness as an agency and face a management crisis.”
ADOR added, “We also considered that even if a ruling confirming the validity of the exclusive contract is made years later, it may already be impossible to restore the original state.”
Additionally, ADOR appealed to the court through the injunction application, stating, “There should be an opportunity to correct any wrong judgments or actions before legal responsibilities expand uncontrollably for the sake of NewJeans.” They also conveyed the industry's overall concern that “if a precedent is set where one can unilaterally declare the termination of an exclusive contract and engage in independent entertainment activities without going through legal procedures, the incentive for investment in the entertainment industry will disappear, shaking the foundation of the K-pop industry and causing significant contraction.”
Finally, ADOR stated, “In accordance with our position that the exclusive contract with NewJeans is valid, we have consistently supported all personnel and facilities for NewJeans' entertainment activities and plan to continue doing so.” They conveyed that “ADOR is receiving various project proposals from outside, and internally, we have already completed planning for this year's activities, including the release of a regular album and fan meetings, and we hope to communicate sufficiently with the members of NewJeans.”
Meanwhile, the members of NewJeans have been participating in various events since the notice of contract termination, but they are not directly mentioning the name 'NewJeans' and are promoting themselves under their individual names. Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, also resigned from her position as an inside director and left HYBE.
ADOR maintains that the exclusive contract with NewJeans is valid until July 2029.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
