Rather than relying on words or any entertainment skills, they were loved purely for their music. Since their debut, the group NewJeans has been a 'song contender' with every track they released becoming a hit. However, they are now walking a completely opposite path.
They referred to it as 'the reality of Korea', going beyond distrust in the law. The statements made by NewJeans, who have halted their activities, are drawing negative reactions from the public, excluding their fans.
Members of NewJeans, who are experiencing a dispute over their exclusive contract with their agency Ador, are currently pursuing independent activities. However, their activities have been suspended as the court granted Ador's request for a 'provisional injunction to maintain the agency's status and prohibit contract signing for advertising activities.'
This is where the members' statements began. They expressed their shock, saying, “Everyone (the members) was shocked (after seeing the news),” and “This might be the reality of Korea. It seems like Korea wants to make us revolutionaries,” voicing their dissatisfaction with the court's decision. This raised criticisms that it was not just a simple issue of the K-pop market structure but rather a case of 'anti-Korean sentiment.'
In particular, these interviews by the members were not with domestic media but through foreign outlets like BBC Korea and TIME, which was somewhat disappointing or regrettable for the public.
Attorney Ko Sang-rok, known as a fan of NewJeans and from the law firm Kim & Chang, publicly criticized, “If they are now denying the industry and even ignoring the court, pushing the entire Korean society into a pathetic state and making anti-Korean remarks, where will they stand next?” and added, “It’s time to wake up from this dream.”
Debuting in July 2022, NewJeans achieved popularity right from the start with their unique music based on easy listening, including hits like 'Hype Boy', 'Attention', 'Ditto', 'Cookie', 'Super Shy', and 'ETA'. Their popularity began from the moment they debuted.
Even if individual members were not well-known, there was no doubt about NewJeans' public popularity. Their songs were featured in music charts as well as TV commercials, and they gained immense popularity by appearing directly. By July 2023, marking their first anniversary, they swept numerous major awards at that year's ceremonies, to the extent that it was referred to as the year of NewJeans.
Having actively communicated with the public through high-quality songs, NewJeans now seems to be showing gestures of distancing themselves from the public, except for their fans, as they openly express disappointment with the court's ruling.
Currently, the members of NewJeans are in a situation where they respect the court's ruling and have halted their activities. However, they have also filed for an appeal, and a hearing regarding this will take place on April 9.
