Go Sang-rok, a lawyer from Kim & Chang, expressed concern over NewJeans' statement in a foreign media interview that they were "disappointed with the court's decision."
On the 22nd, Go Sang-rok shared an article about NewJeans members' interview with Time magazine on his YouTube channel, stating, "I am concerned," and added, "It's time to wake up from the dream."
Previously, NewJeans mentioned in their interview with Time magazine that they were "disappointed with the court's decision" regarding the injunction filed by Ador to prevent NewJeans members from engaging in activities without the agency's approval.
They further stated, "We do not expect the issues in the K-pop industry to change overnight. This may be the current reality in Korea. This is why we believe we need change and growth," adding, "It seems that Korea wants to make us revolutionaries."
Regarding the interview, Lawyer Go stated, "If they take this attitude right after the court's decision, it is hard to avoid criticism that they are 'lying, attacking other colleagues, and demonizing the opponent while confronting the industry's or company's absurdities.'
He continued, "As someone who has had the opportunity to ride on a system created by the efforts of countless people, if they truly want reform, there are certain principles that must be upheld. This cannot be done without courtesy and respect for seniors and colleagues, as well as self-sacrifice."
Go raised his voice, saying, "Initially, they aligned with Min Hee-jin to attack the parent company and other labels and their artists, but now they are denying the industry and ultimately ignoring the court, pushing Korea into a pathetic society and making anti-Korean remarks. Where will they stand next?"
He added, "It is now time to wake up from the dream. I expect that the results of the police investigation into Min Hee-jin will be out soon," and expressed, "I want to believe that the interview conducted hastily after the court's decision was a mistake before they could regroup and organize their thoughts."
On the 21st, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 50 (Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon) accepted Ador's injunction request to prevent NewJeans members from engaging in activities without prior approval or consent from Ador. According to the court's decision, NewJeans cannot engage in independent activities without Ador's prior approval or consent.
After the injunction was granted, NewJeans members stated, "We respect the court's decision. However, we believe that this decision does not fully consider the complete breakdown of trust between the members and Ador," and announced their intention to file an objection. They also stated that they would proceed as scheduled at the Hong Kong ComplexCon on the 23rd.
On the other hand, Ador stated, "As we have legally confirmed NewJeans' agency status, we will fulfill our responsibilities in supporting the artists in the future," and added, "We plan to provide sufficient support on-site for the ComplexCon performance this weekend under the name of Ador's NewJeans."
NewJeans announced last November that they would terminate their contract with Ador due to the agency's failure to fulfill its obligations and declared that they would engage in independent activities under the new name NJZ. In response, Ador argued that the contract is valid until July 2029 and entered into legal disputes.
