MUSIC
NewJeans Members Attend Court Hearing Amidst Legal Battle with Agency ADOR
On the morning of the 7th, all five members of NewJeans attended the hearing at the 50th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court. The hearing was concerning ADOR's request to prohibit NewJeans from signing contracts and maintaining their agency status. The group caught attention by arriving in coordinated black outfits, smiling subtly as they made their way into the courthouse. Member Hani even greeted the cameras with a smile. It is expected that the members will present their stance directly before the judge.
Last November, NewJeans announced their decision to terminate their exclusive contract with ADOR during an emergency press conference, opting to pursue their own path. After fulfilling their existing commitments with ADOR, they revealed their new team name, NJZ, last month and have since engaged in interviews and scheduled international events, such as Hong Kong's ComplexCon. Additionally, individuals claiming to be the parents of the ten members have established communication channels via social media.
A day before the injunction proceedings, NewJeans and ADOR exchanged heated statements. NewJeans argued that ADOR's injunction to ban their activities infringes on their "freedom of occupation," while ADOR countered that their intention was to continue entertainment activities "in compliance with the contract."
NewJeans stated, "ADOR claims to only target NJZ's advertising activities to prevent confusion among fans and advertisers, but in reality, they are asking the court to ban all of NJZ's entertainment activities. This is an attempt to infringe on NJZ's freedom of occupation and seems to be an effort to avoid public criticism by not disclosing this openly."
In response, ADOR emphasized, "With the 'injunction to preserve agency status and prohibit contract signing' underway, NewJeans has expanded their activities with new song releases and major overseas performances, prompting us to extend the scope of the injunction. This is not to restrict activities but to encourage entertainment activities 'together with ADOR' and 'in compliance with the contract.' We have not pressured event organizers nor expanded the injunction scope as a retaliatory measure."
Both parties are determined to have their claims recognized by the court.
Reported by Jiye Choi, TenAsia, wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
