MUSIC
Legal Battle Intensifies Between HYBE's Ador Label and K-Pop Group NewJeans Over Exclusive Contract Dispute
On the morning of the 5th, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Division 41, presided over by Judge Jeong Hoi-il, held the second hearing regarding Ador's lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract against the five members of NewJeans.
Unlike the previous injunction hearing where NewJeans members appeared in black suits to voice their concerns, they were absent from this session.
During the hearing, the court inquired once more about the possibility of a settlement, but NewJeans' representative firmly declined. The attorney stated, "The trust relationship has already been irreparably broken. While we will discuss with our clients, reaching an agreement seems unlikely."
In response, Ador expressed, "Whether it's the main lawsuit or the injunction, we believe a settlement will be easily reached once the court delivers its verdict."
The session also saw both parties presenting differing views on whether Ador had adequately supported NewJeans' activities following a change in representation. Additionally, there were claims regarding the records of a damages lawsuit between former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and Source Music, the agency of the group Le Sserafim.
NewJeans declared the termination of their exclusive contract with Ador in November last year and began independent activities. Subsequently, the court ruled in favor of Ador's request for an injunction to prevent NewJeans from engaging in independent activities, stating that they must not proceed without Ador's approval. NewJeans contested this decision, but their objection was dismissed, and they are currently awaiting a higher court's judgment.
Furthermore, on the 29th of last month, the court accepted Ador's request for indirect enforcement, deciding that if NewJeans engages in independent activities without Ador's prior approval, each member must pay 1 billion KRW (approximately 10 million USD) per violation to Ador.
Reported by Ji-ye Choi, TenAsia wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
