ADOR has filed a lawsuit to legally verify the validity of its contracts with NewJeans.
Yesterday (December 4), per Soompi, the South Korean music label released a statement sharing that it has filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the girl group. The company stated that it was “necessary” in order to “ensure its continued legal enforcement”.
NewJeans held an emergency press conference on November 28, announcing that they were terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR. It came two weeks after the band issued the agency a legal notice, stating that they would terminate their contracts if ADOR did not resolve alleged contract breaches.
The next day, the label refuted the statement, claiming their contract with the group “remains in full effect”.
ADOR, a subsidiary label of entertainment giant HYBE, said “it was necessary to clarify to both the artist and all relevant stakeholders that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims from one side”.
The company also added that this decision to file a lawsuit was made to “protect the trust-based relationships that have driven the growth of the K-pop industry”.
“We believe it is important to clarify any misunderstanding that the exclusive contract with the artist has been lawfully terminated, as this could lead to the artist engaging in entertainment activities in violation of the existing agreement,” it continued, adding that ADOR also wishes to prevent further damage and confusion among industry professionals as a result of NewJeans’ supposed contract termination.
ADOR also wrote that NewJeans’ actions “would seriously hinder the continued development of K-pop”. The company also shared that it has “yet to have the opportunity for direct communication with the artist,” although they have reassured that they remain “committed” to collaborating with NewJeans.
ADOR’s latest statement comes days after Min Hee-jin filed lawsuits against two Dispatch reporters, former HYBE CEO Park Ji-won and PR chief Park Tae-hee. Min accused both HYBE executives of violating South Korean communication laws, while both Dispatch reporters were sued for defamation.
Min’s newly filed complaints come shortly after Dispatch published an article on December 2 accusing Min of being a “hidden hand” in NewJeans’ public pushback against HYBE in recent months.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, these include their unsanctioned livestream in September calling for Min’s return to ADOR as CEO, member Hanni’s appearance at the National Assembly in October and their press conference last week announcing plans to terminate their contracts with ADOR and HYBE.
