NewJeans Faces Legal Challenges Over Name and Contract Dispute

The members of NewJeans have filed a lawsuit against their agency, Ador, seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contract. On December 6, attorney Lee Ji-hoon from the law firm Law & More analyzed the situation in a video titled "NewJeans is Power | Kicking the Ladder of the Powerful" on his YouTube channel.

In the video, Lee discussed the implications for NewJeans' future activities, stating, "If they continue to perform, they must change their name. They cannot use the name NewJeans. The claim they are making is that they have rightfully terminated the contract. Therefore, the copyrights, trademarks, and intellectual property associated with the name are undoubtedly owned by Ador."

He further explained, "This means they must return the name NewJeans. Consistency is key here. If they use the name, they could face liability for damages. However, it could be interpreted that they intend to reclaim the name through legal action. We need to examine the contract to determine if they can continue their activities, as this will reduce their risks."

Regarding NewJeans' assertion of contract termination, Lee noted, "There are various interpretations of what actions have hindered their activities, so it is difficult to conclude that the contract has been terminated at this point. If the six corrective actions requested by NewJeans through a notice are the basis for claiming their activities were obstructed, I find it hard to believe that this justifies terminating the contract. They may claim it has been terminated, but I disagree."

Additionally, he commented on NewJeans' claim that they have no intention of paying penalties, stating, "But they will have to pay. If they create a situation where they must pay and then say they have no intention of doing so, it won't be accepted socially. They likely want to avoid paying anything, but it seems they will have to. This poses a legal risk for NewJeans."

Previously, on November 28, NewJeans held an emergency press conference announcing their intention to terminate their exclusive contract with Ador effective November 29. In response, Ador released an official statement on December 5, emphasizing that they did not wish to resolve issues with their artists through legal means but felt it necessary to clarify that a contract cannot be easily terminated based solely on one party's claims. They subsequently filed a lawsuit on December 3 at the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract.

Following the contract termination notice, the five members attended a concert by the J-Pop group YOASOBI at the Incheon Inspire Arena on December 7. However, they greeted the audience not as NewJeans but by their individual names, avoiding the official introduction associated with the group.