On November 3, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Division 41 (Presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il) will hold the first hearing for the lawsuit filed by ADOR against NewJeans to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract.
The conflict, which began in April last year, intensified after NewJeans announced the termination of their contract with ADOR during an emergency press conference in November and began independent activities.
In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit in December to legally confirm the validity of their exclusive contract with NewJeans. They also sought an injunction to preserve their status as the group's agency and to prohibit NewJeans from signing advertising contracts. ADOR further requested the court to ban all musical activities, including songwriting, composing, performing, and singing, as well as any ancillary activities by NewJeans.
On October 21, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Division 50 (Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon) ruled in favor of ADOR's request for an injunction to preserve their status as the agency and to prohibit advertising contracts.
The court dismissed NewJeans' claims of breach of contract due to a gap in production following the dismissal of a former representative. It noted that ADOR had fulfilled most of its contractual obligations, including financial settlements, and pointed out that NewJeans' unilateral contract termination hindered ADOR's management duties.
The court emphasized that if NewJeans unilaterally leaves the contract, ADOR would suffer significant damages, and the group's activities under a new name could severely damage both NewJeans' brand value and ADOR's reputation as a management company.
ADOR expressed gratitude for the court's wise decision, stating, "We are deeply thankful for the court's wise judgment. As ADOR's status as NewJeans' agency is legally confirmed, we will fulfill our responsibilities in supporting the artists."
NewJeans filed an objection to the court's decision on October 21. The court will review any additional claims or evidence from the debtor before deciding whether to dismiss the objection. In an interview with BBC Korea released on October 26, NewJeans commented on the situation, "We expected a different outcome, but everyone was shocked by the news."
NewJeans had announced plans for independent activities, claiming their contract with ADOR was terminated in November. However, the court's decision has halted these plans, preventing them from engaging in any commercial activities as public figures, including songwriting, composing, performing, broadcasting, events, and advertising contracts. The five members of NewJeans have filed an objection to the court's injunction decision on October 21.
Reporter: Jiye Choi, TenAsia, wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr