On October 28, NewJeans announced plans to terminate exclusive contracts with ADOR, despite 5 years remaining. During an emergency press conference, members declared their commitment to keeping the group’s name. Despite continuing to carry out scheduled activities with ADOR, members have launched an independent social media account, “jeanzforfree,” signaling their desire for autonomy.
The account quickly gained followers, including celebrity fans such as baseball player Kim Do-young and actress Shim Eun-kyung. Support from industry veterans also followed.
On December 17, Fin.KL’s Ock Joo-hyun appeared on SBS PowerFM’s “Wendy’s Young Street” and recommended NewJeans’ “Ditto” as his favorite song. He expressed his desire to support the group, “I believe they will become incredible artists who convey deep emotions and create great music.” Similarly, SES’s Bada mentioned his admiration for NewJeans during a KBS CoolFM broadcast, referencing their cover of “Supernatural” and expressing his hope for their well-being amid the challenges. SES’ Eugene also showed his support on social media by posting photos of the album cover.
While such gestures may stem from empathy, Korean media have emphasized that NewJeans is not an innocent victim but an active party in a high-profile contract dispute. Despite reports of workplace harassment, their actions, such as holding a press conference and launching an independent social media account, are seen as a breach of contractual obligations and trust.
Several associations, including the Korea Management Federation and the Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association, have expressed concern over NewJeans’ actions, warning of potential damage to K-Pop’s foundation. The latter association declared: “The idea that exclusive contracts can be terminated solely on the basis of unilateral claims sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the sustainability of the Korean entertainment industry.”
Added to the controversy are accusations of “tampering”. Reports suggest that former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin met with a president of Company D and the uncle of a NewJeans member to discuss establishing a family-run management agency. If these claims are true, it could result in both civil and criminal liability.
While public support for NewJeans may have been well-intentioned, critics argue that such explicit acknowledgments require careful consideration, given the broader implications for the K-Pop industry.
