On February 19, ADOR issued a statement refuting claims that Bang Si-hyuk tried to prevent NJZ (NewJeans) from performing in Hong Kong. The full statement is as below:
“ADOR never encouraged NewJeans to cancel their Hong Kong concert.
Chairman Bang Si-hyuk also confirmed that he had never had any contact with New Jeans regarding their Hong Kong performance.
ADOR requested that the organizers use the official team name ‘NewJeans’, as requested by the domestic media, and that the performance be held through ADOR based on the artist’s exclusive contract.”
Previously on the same day, the parents’ union of Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein released an official statement on February 19 through the account “njz_pr”, in response to an earlier statement of 5 music organizations in Korea demeaning NewJeans.
Below is the full official statement from the NJZ Parents’ Association.
“Hello.
This morning, we saw a statement issued to the media by five organizations: the Korea Entertainment Management Association, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association, the Korea Music Label Industry Association, the Korea Record Industry Association and the Korea Music Content Association.
It is truly regrettable that they are making statements that compromise the fairness of the trial by treating unconfirmed facts as established truths, despite knowing that the preliminary injunction and main lawsuit hearings have not even begun yet. As always, artists have fewer channels to voice their positions compared to companies that can freely utilize associations and major media outlets. We ask for your understanding as this may be a lengthy statement.
1. These five organizations claim that NJZ members should resolve their issues privately through negotiations or legal procedures rather than through public opinion battles and unilateral declarations. However, we believe the public remembers who first stirred up the media by spreading baseless suspicions to oust the former CEO of ADOR, who was trying to address serious internal issues at HYBE. At that time, HYBE either deliberately orchestrated or allowed a flood of absurd media reports accusing NewJeans of “tampering” and “gaslighting”. Additionally, the timing of this media offensive—just one week before NewJeans’ comeback—is something we all remember. No entertainment agency would sabotage its own artists just before a comeback. We would like to ask where these associations were at that time.
2. The organizations argue that publicizing this dispute has inflicted severe damage on the K-pop industry. However, the real victims of biased media coverage are the NJZ members, their fans and the public who love music. The financial damage HYBE has suffered, such as its stock price decline, is HYBE’s problem, not an issue for the entire K-pop industry. The fact that these associations are representing the interests of a single company rather than the industry as a whole is evident.
3. The organizations state that mere allegations can dominate online platforms without proper fact-checking and can be accepted as truth. This is the only accurate part of their statement. False rumors about NJZ members have flooded the internet, while numerous media outlets and reckless YouTube channels continue to promote HYBE’s stance without sufficient evidence. Individual artists, unfortunately, have little power to fight back or protect themselves. This reflects the sense of helplessness that many industry professionals, artists, trainees and their families feel toward these associations and the entertainment industry’s structure.
4. The organizations claim that NJZ members are engaging in independent activities despite their exclusive contracts with ADOR not being legally terminated. They further argue that allowing unilateral contract terminations would destabilize the K-pop industry. However, this is a completely misleading assertion meant to deceive the public. From the perspective of the members’ families, who have witnessed the situation since their trainee days, there were no organizations or structures to protect trainees and artists from unfair contract terms and internal mistreatment. The only option was to rely on the company’s ethics. The associations’ insistence on protecting the stability of the industry while disregarding the unfair treatment suffered by artists is contradictory.
As widely known, HYBE has openly discriminated against, attacked and attempted to ostracize NJZ members. ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, neither had the ability nor the will to protect them. In some cases, ADOR even actively tried to destroy NewJeans’ career. As a result, NJZ members had no choice but to terminate their contracts. Legally, once a contract is terminated, it takes immediate effect, meaning their exclusive contracts with ADOR are already void. They are now free to pursue their activities without restrictions. The fact that HYBE and ADOR are trying to push for new legislation before the trial only proves how weak and unconvincing their legal arguments are. The statement issued today by these associations raises concerns that they are attempting to institutionalize coercion and disguised legal oppression against individual rights. Their argument suggests that exclusive contracts must operate like slave contracts to prevent the collapse of the K-pop industry.
This dispute is between a specific entertainment company and its artists over unfair treatment—it is not an issue that impacts the entire K-pop industry. In fact, the courageous decision of the NJZ members may lead to a healthier and more creative K-pop industry where more diverse artists can thrive. Additionally, framing investments in trainees as a debt obligation is deeply concerning. Trainees dedicate their youth and personal lives to their careers, and contractual good faith is a mutual obligation, not a one-sided one. We hope this case prevents young artists and trainees from being exploited by people who evade responsibility while prioritizing their own profits.
6. While preparing this statement, a journalist informed us that these five organizations are planning a press conference on February 27 at JW Marriott Hotel, inviting numerous reporters and even offering lunch. Considering that a meal at JW Marriott costs at least 100,000 KRW, it raises ethical concerns under Korea’s anti-bribery laws. This blatant attempt to influence the media is questionable. Moreover, the associations not only distributed their statement in the morning but also resent the exact same statement at 1 PM. What was the intent behind this? Isn’t this a textbook example of media manipulation?
We respectfully request that these five organizations stop their one-sided media campaign representing only the interests of a specific company. For the sustainable growth of the K-pop industry, companies that treat artists merely as money-making tools and replaceable parts must be held accountable. This matter will be resolved through the court’s judgment.
Lastly, we recently heard from a ComplexCon representative that HYBE’s chairman, Bang Si-hyuk, personally called U.S. officials to pressure them into canceling NJZ’s performance. Given today’s sudden statement from the five associations, is it too far-fetched to assume there is a connection? We were outraged and disgusted to learn that HYBE still sees the members purely as financial assets and is actively trying to ruin their careers rather than support them. ADOR has also reportedly made attempts to obstruct NJZ’s activities.
Chairman Bang, in April 2024, we sent a protest email requesting a response from you, but we never received one. If you have so much to say, why don’t you call us instead? Why are you personally interfering in a dispute between ADOR and NJZ members? Do you still claim that HYBE and ADOR are separate entities?
NJZ members are scheduled to perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong. After escaping the nightmare of HYBE and ADOR, they are excited and eager to present a new side of themselves to fans worldwide. We kindly ask for your support. Thank you.”