Tension Mounts as NewJeans and ADOR Await Crucial Contract Ruling
The tension is palpable as 'judgment day' returns.
Girl group NewJeans and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin are once again at a critical juncture.
On the 30th, the 41st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court will hold the sentencing date for the lawsuit filed by ADOR against the five NewJeans members, seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contracts.
NewJeans declared the termination of their contracts in November 2024, citing ADOR's failure to fulfill its obligations. ADOR responded by filing a lawsuit in December 2024 to maintain the exclusive contracts.
NewJeans argued that "trust in the company has been shattered due to the departure of former CEO Min Hee-jin and key staff," while ADOR countered that "the contract termination itself was unilateral," deepening the conflict.
Two mediation sessions were held to find common ground, but ultimately ended in failure. The closed-door mediation lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, with members Minji and Daniel attending in person, drawing significant attention, but they failed to narrow their differences.
Previously, the court ruled in a preliminary injunction regarding status preservation and advertising contract prohibition that "NewJeans cannot independently engage in activities without ADOR's consent until the ruling," and stipulated a substantial compensation of '1 billion won per violation.' If all five members violated this, they would have to pay up to 5 billion won, leading to interpretations that this was tantamount to a ban on activities.
During the court proceedings, ADOR emphasized, "We invested 21 billion won to fully support NewJeans. We invested 7 billion won in the debut album alone and 2 billion won in music videos, with active support from HYBE as well." They argued, "NewJeans' unilateral contract termination is a violation of the exclusive contract, which the court cannot allow." They also raised suspicions of 'poaching (tampering)' by former CEO Min Hee-jin, presenting KakaoTalk records as evidence.
On the other hand, NewJeans claimed that "the attempted audit and dismissal of Min Hee-jin were based on flawed premises and were aimed at ousting her." They also countered that "ADOR is now dominated by HYBE employees, and we can no longer trust the agency," also mentioning retaliatory audits and strongly raising issues.
NewJeans questioned, "How can we return to an agency that treats its artists like liars, rather than protecting them?" clearly expressing distrust in the company's system. However, they hinted at a conditional return if former CEO Min Hee-jin were to return.
However, immediately after the mediation failed, ADOR appointed individuals from HYBE as new inside directors, showing a move to establish a new direction. Min Hee-jin, on the other hand, has completed the registration of a new corporation, 'ooak,' preparing for a completely different path.
Now, only the court's ruling remains. Depending on the outcome, NewJeans' future activities, Min Hee-jin's independent path, and the structure of ADOR and HYBE are expected to be significantly impacted.
One side is bound to suffer considerable damage, and the entire industry is likely to experience significant repercussions.
The direction of the idol industry and the future stages of NewJeans, who have been called symbols of children, and the future ADOR chooses are causing a major impact at the center of issues in the Korean music industry.
The direction of this long journey will be revealed on the 30th.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/plug_and_play_life/224054781729
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