The group ‘NewJeans’ has declared the termination of their exclusive contract with their agency, ADOR, and is maintaining a firm stance.
On the 6th, the members of NewJeans stated in a position statement that their stance on terminating their contract with their agency, ADOR, remains unchanged.
NewJeans claimed that despite returning profits exceeding their investment to ADOR and HYBE, they were subjected to various forms of sabotage and reverse viral campaigns by HYBE, aiming to diminish their value.
They further raised concerns that ADOR had allowed these actions to continue after the management change.
They emphasized that trust in ADOR and HYBE had already been shattered, as they had failed to fulfill their duty to protect their artists and had repeatedly violated contract terms.
NewJeans stated, “While they pretended to seek dialogue and reconciliation on the surface, behind the scenes, we were being followed, slandered, and confronted with false articles from the media. We couldn’t help but feel fear and disgust. No matter how much they try to sow discord, the five of us remain united as one, and no one can break us apart.”
Regarding the lawsuit filed by ADOR on the 3rd, NewJeans expressed regret, saying, “We are deeply disappointed that ADOR, who had been making excuses, is now filing a lawsuit. However, we hope that through the legal process, the circumstances that forced us to terminate the contract and the reasons for ADOR’s breach of contract will be fully revealed.”
Currently, NewJeans members have declared the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR as of midnight on the 29th of last month.
During an emergency press conference held on the 28th of last month, NewJeans stated that the termination of their contract was due to the fault of HYBE and ADOR, and that there would be no legal action such as penalty compensation or injunctions.
In response, ADOR expressed regret, stating, “We are disappointed that the exclusive contract termination press conference was planned and conducted without sufficient review, before even receiving a response to the notice,” and called for dialogue.
ADOR also filed a lawsuit for the confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contract and reiterated their stance that they wish to continue working with NewJeans.
Meanwhile, the Korea Management Association, an organization composed of management industry professionals, released a statement criticizing NewJeans’ contract termination claims as unreasonable and expressed concern over the collapse of order in the music industry.
The Korea Entertainment Producers Association stated, “As a responsible party in the contract, this is an extremely irresponsible action, which disregards both legal standards and industry practices, and deserves strong criticism. We request that NewJeans quickly withdraw their baseless claims and return to their original intentions to continue their normal activities.”