A South Korean court has ruled in favor of ADOR in the exclusive contract dispute with the K-pop group NewJeans.
On the morning of the 30th, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Division 41, led by Judge Jeong Hoe-il, delivered its verdict on the lawsuit filed by ADOR against the five members of NewJeans to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract. The court stated, "It is difficult to view ADOR's actions as a breach of contract solely due to the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin." Furthermore, regarding Min Hee-jin, the court noted, "The public campaign for NewJeans' independence was not aimed at protecting the group."
Previously, the court attempted mediation twice in August and September, but both parties failed to reach an agreement, leading to the final ruling.
The court sided with ADOR, and NewJeans' subsequent objections and appeals were dismissed. As a result, the members were prohibited from engaging in independent activities without ADOR's approval until the final ruling.
Additionally, in May, the court accepted ADOR's request for indirect enforcement, ordering NewJeans to pay 1 billion KRW per member for each violation if they pursued independent activities.
The main issues in the trial were the validity of the exclusive contract and the existence of grounds for termination. ADOR argued that "the contract remains valid, and the company has diligently supported the artists," while NewJeans contended that "the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin completely destroyed the trust relationship."
By Jiye Choi, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr