Korean Entertainment Association Urges NewJeans to Reconsider Contract Termination

The Korea Entertainment Producers Association (연제협) has expressed serious concerns regarding the recent actions of NewJeans members, who announced their intention to terminate their exclusive contract with their agency, Ador. On December 6, 2024, the association stated, "The K-pop industry is being shaken to its core due to the NewJeans incident," and called for the group to retract their "irresponsible claims" and return to their original path of normal activities.

The controversy arose after NewJeans held an emergency press conference to declare their contract termination and expressed a desire to work with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. The association criticized this move, stating, "The dispute over the contract termination between NewJeans and their agency has sent shockwaves throughout the entire South Korean popular culture and arts industry. Our pride and cultural asset, K-pop, is being undermined at its roots due to the NewJeans situation."

They emphasized that an exclusive contract is not merely a business agreement but a product of mutual trust and commitment. The association voiced strong concerns over the notion that a contract could be unilaterally terminated based solely on one party's claims, stating, "The party asserting the termination must provide valid reasons. However, NewJeans has not presented concrete evidence to support their claims."

The association also highlighted the lack of evidence backing NewJeans' demands, pointing out that the group had made unreasonable requests that deviated from their contractual obligations and held a press conference to announce their contract termination without following proper procedures, which they deemed irresponsible.

Additionally, the association addressed allegations of 'tampering,' suggesting that Min Hee-jin may have been involved in orchestrating the members' actions to facilitate their departure from Ador. They noted that if these allegations are true, it could represent a new form of tampering that severely undermines trust in the entertainment industry.

The association warned that such actions could set a dangerous precedent that threatens the sustainability of the South Korean popular culture and arts industry. They explained that agencies invest significant time and resources into nurturing artists, and the relationship goes beyond mere business; it is built on trust and dedication.

They questioned, "If such unilateral contract terminations are tolerated, who would be willing to invest in the South Korean K-pop market?" The association strongly urged NewJeans to retract their irresponsible claims and return to normal activities, while also calling for a thorough investigation into any illegal actions related to the tampering allegations.

Finally, they appealed to government officials and lawmakers to implement measures to prevent similar issues, emphasizing that the entertainment industry relies on the hard work and sacrifices of many employees behind the scenes. They requested that effective safeguards be established to prevent unilateral contract terminations from artists in the future.