Updated: 12/06/24 at 7:44AM
Following the announcement of ADOR’s lawsuit to enforce the contract with NewJeans, the members of NewJeans responded with a lengthy statement countering ADOR’s claims:
Hello, this is Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.
We feel deeply sorry to issue such a statement in the midst of this chaotic situation.
Recently, we learned through the media that ADOR has filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation that our exclusive contracts are valid. In their statement, ADOR failed to properly claim that there was no violation of the exclusive contract. Instead, they repeatedly argued that the exclusive contract cannot be terminated until the company recovers its support and investments.
However, we have already returned profits to ADOR and HYBE that exceed their investments. Despite this, HYBE has tried to undermine our value through defamation and reverse marketing, among other obstructions, and ADOR neglected to prevent these actions after its management changed. This is tantamount to a company producing malicious comments against its own artists. Considering the collapse of this trust relationship, we have concluded that we are at a high risk of suffering even more harm in the future.
Our trust in ADOR and HYBE, who failed to fulfill their duty to protect their artists and repeatedly violated the terms of our contracts, has already collapsed. According to our exclusive contract, there is no longer any reason for us to work with ADOR and HYBE.
The exclusive contract explicitly states that we have the right to terminate the contract if ADOR fails to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Given the collapse of trust and contract violations, forcing us to work for another five years is not only unreasonable but also inhumane.
We provided ADOR with a 14-day grace period to rectify their breaches, but ADOR failed to make any corrections. Accordingly, we notified ADOR of the contract termination as per the terms of the exclusive contract, and the termination took immediate effect.
Although ADOR has filed a lawsuit seeking a court’s judgment on the validity of this termination, this is merely a procedural step to confirm the termination post facto. Nevertheless, we deeply regret that ADOR issued a statement misleading the public into believing the contract is still valid.
Once again, we want to make it clear: as of November 29, 2024, we are no longer under ADOR. ADOR has no authority to interfere with or influence our activities.
While publicly claiming to pursue dialogue and reconciliation, we were horrified and disgusted to encounter articles from media outlets spreading false and defamatory information about us, as well as incidents of us being followed. However, no matter how much they try to sow discord, the five of us remain united, and no one can divide us.
Even after announcing the termination of our exclusive contracts, we have continued to fulfill our remaining schedules with ADOR responsibly, as promised. However, we have witnessed managers and producers assisting with these schedules being severely harassed, such as having their laptops confiscated and being subjected to unannounced investigations by ADOR and HYBE. Some even cried in distress. We find it incomprehensible that such unethical and inhumane treatment is being inflicted on the staff supporting our schedules, and it pains us that this harm does not end with us.
We anticipate a difficult road ahead, but we dream of continuing to share our lives with our fans through healthy musical activities. We are determined to make this dream a reality.
Even after the replacement of its CEO, ADOR has failed to address repeated issues with HYBE. Rather than protecting us, they have damaged our reputation and failed to demand improvements from other labels that spread false information about us.We deeply regret that ADOR, instead of offering genuine explanations, has chosen to file a lawsuit. We hope that the trial process will reveal the reasons that forced us to terminate our exclusive contracts and ADOR’s contractual violations in detail.
We aspire to be courageous and healthy individuals.
We sincerely thank everyone who has supported us so far and kindly ask for your continued interest and love for the five of us.
Thank you. – NewJeans
As reported by Yohhap, ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE, has announced that they have filed a lawsuit against NewJeans to enforce the validity of the group’s exclusive contract. ADOR argues that the contract requires the group to remain under its management until 2029. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, December 3, with the Seoul Central District Court.
This legal action follows NewJeans’ recent press conference where, as of midnight on Nov. 29th marking the end of a 14-day notice period, they declared after ADOR’s breach of contract they are now independent artists. The group stated they were no longer bound by ADOR’s management after failing to address their several concerns and demands by the group, a claim the label strongly disputes.
NewJeans Emergency Press Conference Nov. 28th
Industry experts had widely speculated that legal action from one or both parties would follow the announcement.
In a detailed statement released by ADOR, the label’s representatives explained the reasons behind their decision to pursue legal intervention:
“On December 3 KST, ADOR filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract with our artist, NewJeans, in order to ensure its continued legal enforcement.
Although we did not wish to seek legal intervention with the artist, we decided that 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 of one side. Above all, the decision was made to protect the trust-based relationships that have driven the growth of the K-pop industry and to preserve the very foundation of the country’s pop culture. We aim to have this clearly established in court.
With a heavy heart, 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. We also wish to prevent any unexpected damage or confusion among industry professionals as a result.”
K-pop has evolved through the collaboration between the artist’s talent and dedication, along with the company’s full investment and trust, grounded in expertise… If this fundamental and mutual agreement is not honored, the company’s investment—based on long-term trust despite uncertainty—will be left unprotected and rendered ineffective.
If this fundamental and mutual agreement is not honored, the company’s investment—based on long-term trust despite uncertainty—will be left unprotected and rendered ineffective. This would seriously hinder the continued development of K-pop, as the structured support, investment, and advancement of the system would be at risk. We are deeply concerned about the potential disruption of the growth cycle of K-pop, which has rapidly developed through many people’s hard work and dreams.
We remain committed to continuing our collaboration with NewJeans. Apart from seeking a judicial decision on the validity of the exclusive contract, we strongly believe that a sufficient and candid dialogue with the artist is essential. Despite multiple sincere requests from the label staff, we have yet to have the opportunity for direct communication with the artist. However, we will continue to make every effort to address any unnecessary misunderstandings between the artist and the company. We are committed to doing our best to ensure NewJeans can return to their loving fans with even better activities. We kindly ask for your continued support as both ADOR and the members of NewJeans work together to wisely overcome this situation.”
ADOR concluded their statement by affirming their commitment to resolving the issue amicably, expressing their hope for open dialogue with NewJeans to overcome the situation and resume their activities.
Sources:
- Yohhap, Star News Korea
- Music Business Worldwide, Hybe’s ADOR files lawsuit over NewJeans deal dispute
