The Seoul Central District Court has made a significant ruling regarding K-pop girl group NewJeans, prohibiting them from engaging in entertainment activities independently or through third parties without the approval of their agency, ADOR. This ruling comes as part of an ongoing legal dispute surrounding the legitimacy of their exclusive contract.
On May 30, the 52nd Civil Division of the court partially approved ADOR’s request for an injunction aimed at upholding the current contract status. The court emphasized that until a final decision is made regarding the validity of the contract, the members of NewJeans must refrain from signing any separate advertising agreements without prior consent from ADOR. Notably, the court included a penalty clause that imposes a fine of 1 billion KRW (around $730,000) for any violations of this injunction, with the costs of this application also being the responsibility of NewJeans.
This ruling follows a previous decision on March 21, when the court fully supported ADOR’s request to prevent NewJeans from entering promotional or advertising contracts outside of their agency. When the girl group raised objections to this decision, the court reaffirmed its earlier stance on April 21.
During this ongoing legal matter, ADOR now holds a stronger position regarding the validity of their contract, diminishing NewJeans‘ ability to act independently. Despite this, the group continues to advocate for an exit from their contract, citing a breakdown of trust. This suggests that tensions between NewJeans and ADOR are likely to escalate, particularly leading up to the main trial’s next hearing on June 5.
With so much at stake, it’s clear that the forthcoming legal proceedings will be crucial in determining the future for NewJeans and their relationship with ADOR.
