NewJeans was accused by the Kpop association of being irresponsible, asking to return to ADOR

The fact that the NewJeans group held a press conference announcing the termination of the exclusive contract with the management company ADOR has been causing a stir in the K-pop music lovers community around the globe over the past few days.

According to MK, on the evening of November 28, the five members held a press conference in Seoul, announcing that as of November 29, they were no longer under the management of ADOR, due to the company's violation of the terms of the agreement, "without good faith and inability to protect the interests of NewJeans".

According to Koreaboo, if NewJeans unilaterally terminates the contract, NewJeans faces compensation of at least 300 billion won ($215 million) to the management company. However, the members said that they were not obliged to compensate for having fulfilled all obligations and dedication in all activities. The group argued that ADOR and HYBE had to pay compensation.

Recently, the Korean Entertainment Producers Association issued a harsh statement against the action of the group NewJeans, saying that it is "irresponsible" for the members to pursue early termination of the contract.

Not stopping there, the Association also called on NewJeans members to withdraw their complaints, return to ADOR and resume normal activities "for the benefit of the entire Korean cultural and entertainment industry."

The original statement of the Korean Entertainment Producers Association regarding the incident of the group NewJeans: "The K-pop industry itself, a cultural asset that is both a source of national pride and the focus of global attention, is currently facing a fundamental crisis due to the NewJeans incident. The Korean Entertainment Producers Association felt unable to remain silent and chose to express its stance.

First, an exclusive contract is not just an agreement but a product of mutual trust and commitment. We express deep concern about the idea that an exclusive contract can be unilaterally terminated based on one-sided claims. The termination of the contract can only occur when the affirming party gives a good reason, which is proven by evidence.

However, so far, the members of NewJeans have not been able to provide concrete evidence to support their claims. Moreover, the group's decision to unilaterally terminate the contract in a press conference completely ignored the proper procedures, however, the members continued to make unreasonable demands that went beyond the scope of the signed agreement. This is irresponsible for a party with a contractual obligation and deserves strong condemnation.

Second, there are growing concerns about allegations that NewJeans may have engaged in 'counterfeiting' while their contracts were still in effect. The allegations suggest that the company's internal personnel colluded with a third party to persuade members to terminate the contract. If these allegations are true, then this would be an extremely sophisticated new form of counterfeiting.

Counterfeiting is a destructive behavior that undermines the trust that the entertainment industry is building. It is not only a breach of contract, but also a betrayal of the relationship that companies and artists have built over time. If a famous K-pop artist like NewJeans is indeed involved in counterfeiting, it will leave an indelible scar on the entire cultural industry.

Third, the unilateral actions taken by NewJeans, a group in its third year and having achieved unprecedented success, claim could set an extremely dangerous precedent that threatens the sustainability of South Korea's cultural and entertainment industry. Management companies are subject to significant risks in terms of finance and time to discover and nurture artists. The development of an artist is not just a business transaction, but a process based on mutual trust and dedication.

However, NewJeans' sudden decision to announce the termination of the contract when the contract term was less than halfway through, not to mention the allegations of interference, harmed the relationship between the artist and the company, seriously damaged trust in the industry and deterred investments.

NewJeans officially lost the lawsuit, was banned from operating, and was forced to return to ADOR? T.P07:32:08 22/03/2025On March 21, senior judge Kim Sang Hoon of the Seoul Central District Court's Unified Civil Court No. 50 issued a ruling prohibiting NewJeans from conducting independent activities and arbitrarily signing performance and advertising contracts.