NewJeans recently held an emergency press conference on November 28, declaring the termination of its exclusive contract with its agency, ADOR.
Shortly before the press conference, ADOR sent a 26-page response to NewJeans’ final notice and proof of content. NewJeans called the response insincere, raising questions about its content. Yonhap News TV obtained this answer exclusively.
In its response, ADOR maintained a clear position: the contract signed with NewJeans on April 21, 2024 remains valid until July 31, 2029, seven years from the group’s debut date.
They said they did their best to support NewJeans, enabling the group to become a top-tier team both domestically and internationally in a short period.
Regarding the conflict between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and parent company HYBE, ADOR described it as an unforeseen legal dispute. They emphasized their continued support for NewJeans despite the change in leadership.
The response also mentioned plans for a fan meeting, a full album and a world tour planned for next year. However, ADOR expressed regret that the NewJeans and their families were not provided with opportunities for dialogue.
Furthermore, ADOR argued that dissatisfaction with unmet subjective expectations does not constitute a breach of contract.
Many of the problems cited by NewJeans as violations, ADOR said, stemmed from actions of third parties, not ADOR. They added that they did not have the authority to enforce claims against such third parties and highlighted insufficient evidence to support some claims.
From a legal point of view, ADOR questioned whether the alleged violations were sufficiently serious to justify the termination of the exclusivity contract. They stated that essential contractual obligations, such as organizing entertainment activities, negotiations, support and agreements, had been fulfilled.
Below is a summer of ADOR’s detailed responses to NewJeans’ inquiries
- As for the HYBE report suggesting abandoning NewJeans and starting over
ADOR distanced itself from the report, clarifying that it came from HYBE. HYBE explained that the report did not imply abandonment of NewJeans nor did it imply specific instructions or decisions. ADOR stated that it cannot take disciplinary action against HYBE employees over this matter.
- Regarding the claim that ADOR took no action against the other label’s manager who told their artists to “ignore” Hanni
ADOR clarified that the incident involved an employee of another company. They said they had taken appropriate measures to protect Hanni’s image while recognizing the limitations in dealing with matters involving third parties.
- Regarding the inappropriate remarks made by a PR member of HYBE
ADOR expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, stating that it promptly addressed the matter with HYBE and removed the employee from NewJeans-related duties. However, legal advice indicated that disciplinary action against the employee could constitute an unfair sanction.
- Regarding the claim that photos and videos from New Jeans’ time as an apprentice were released without permission through the media and not deleted
ADOR explained that it was not responsible for the publication of the content and that it had asked the media to stop disseminating it. They were actively working to address the situation.
- As for the claim that HYBE was “undermining” New Jeans results
ADOR said it had confirmed with HYBE that there had been no “softening” of NewJeans’ album sales.
- Regarding the dispute with Dolphiners Films director Shin Woo-seok and the issue of existing works disappearing because of this
ADOR argued that only the “ETA Director’s Cut” content was an issue and that the content had been independently removed to prevent potential copyright infringement.
- Regarding the request to take all necessary measures to preserve the color of NewJeans and guarantee the activities of NewJeans
ADOR has detailed its ongoing plans for fan meetings, album releases and tours, lamenting that the group has declined further discussions.
- Regarding the request to reinstate former director Min Hee-jin as CEO
ADOR has firmly stated that decisions regarding the CEO position fall within the jurisdiction of the board. However, they emphasized efforts to maintain Min Hee-jin’s involvement in the production of NewJeans content.
Source: Yonhap
