NewJeans Members Face Uncertain Future with ADOR Amidst Contract Disputes

《Lee Min-kyung's Siren》
Lee Min-kyung from TenAsia sounds the alarm on the rapidly evolving entertainment industry, highlighting unseen issues and alerting to threats and changes surrounding the entertainment world.

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All members of the group NewJeans have announced their return to their agency, ADOR. However, industry insiders speculate that ADOR might not accept Minji, Danielle, and Hanni, who declared their return without prior consultation. Legal experts suggest that ADOR has sufficient grounds to terminate their exclusive contracts.

Minji, Danielle, and Hanni expressed their intention to return to ADOR through the law firm Hanil on the 12th, just three hours after Hae-rin and Hye-in officially announced their return through ADOR.

Notably, ADOR's response has been lukewarm, stating they are "verifying the sincerity" of the three members. Despite previously urging the return of NewJeans members multiple times, ADOR's current stance suggests they need to confirm whether these members genuinely intend to honor their exclusive contracts. Unlike Hae-rin and Hye-in, the three members did not engage in detailed discussions with the agency regarding their return.

Industry insiders are pessimistic about the possibility of ADOR accepting Minji, Hanni, and Danielle back into the group. A music industry source noted that ADOR's statement about "verifying sincerity" implies doubt about the members' genuine intentions, casting uncertainty on their ability to smoothly continue activities as NewJeans.

Another industry insider commented that the actions of Minji and Hanni during emergency press conferences and national audits likely had a negative impact on their trust with ADOR. It remains uncertain whether ADOR will accept their unilateral declaration of return without sufficient consultation.

Legal experts assert that ADOR has ample legal grounds to notify the three members of contract termination. Although NewJeans members have previously requested contract termination, the issue lies in the potential liability for damages, which could be astronomical given NewJeans' peak popularity before the issues arose.

Noh Jong-eon, a representative lawyer from Hanil Law Firm, explained that the first trial ruling on the validity of the exclusive contract does not mean "the contract must be maintained." It indicates that ADOR bears no responsibility, while NewJeans does, allowing ADOR to notify the members of contract termination. Jang Sung-soo, a lawyer from The All Law Firm, also noted that the actions of NewJeans members might have caused a breakdown in trust, making it likely that ADOR may not accept all three members back.

Lee Min-kyung, TenAsia Reporter 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr