Danielle and Minji of Newjeans arrived at the central district court of Seoul on Thursday afternoon to participate in a mediation session ordered by the court in the contractual controversy in progress with the Ador agency.
The two members of the women’s group personally appeared in front of the 41st civil division to discuss the cause of Ador in search of confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contracts signed in 2022.
Photographed entering the court Separately, both Danielle and Minji refused to comment when they approached the journalists, offering only short excuses before proceeding inside. The officials of the Court had specifically requested their frequency in person, marking a rare public appearance from the Newjeans’ members between the legal battle that took place largely behind closed doors.
Ador claims that the contracts remain legally binding despite the declaration of termination of the group’s contract last November. The Agency has intended in December, claiming that the unilateral claims of a broken relationship do not justify the resolution. Newjeans, however, argue that the departure of the former CEO of Ador Min Hee-Jin and his creative team constituted a violation of the trust that cancels any obligation for the label.
During the mediation of Thursday, both sides should have negotiate Terms that could lead to an agreement that transported the same legal weight as a judicial sentence. If the mediation fails, the Court has scheduled a final sentence on October 30, when a judge will determine whether the exclusive contracts of Ador with all five members of the group are standing. Until that date, Newjeans face restrictions on independent activities, including sponsorships and shows outside Ador’s consent.
This dispute follows the first decisions. In March, the Court granted Ador an injunction that blocked Newjeans from the signature of solo’s approval agreements and performed independently. At the end of May, the Court itself imposed a penalty of 1 billion victories (about US $ 725,000) on each member for any unauthorized entertainment activity, applying the compulsory indirect execution to ensure compliance with the injunction.
Sector analysts note that a settlement could preserve Newjeans’ ability to resume the group activity Without further legal obstacles, while a sentence in favor of Ador would strengthen control of the label on the group’s programs and promotions. Both results will be carefully viewed as a previous potential for future controversies between K-Pop artists and their agencies.
The mediation session ended in silence, without public announcements. Both parties agreed to present additional materials before the October hearing. Until then, Newjeans’ full return to musical and promotional activities remains pending.
