NewJeans' Plans for Independent Activities Halted by Court Ruling

The K-pop group NewJeans, which was set to begin activities under the new name NJZ, has had its plans thwarted by a recent court ruling. The Seoul Central District Court granted all requests made by Ador to prohibit NewJeans from engaging in independent activities. This ruling marks a significant victory for Ador in the ongoing legal battle.

On March 21, the court's Civil Division 50, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, ruled in favor of Ador's request for a temporary injunction against the five members of NewJeans (Minji, Hani, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein) regarding the preservation of agency status and the prohibition of advertising contracts.

The court stated, "The claims and materials submitted by the debtors (the five members of NewJeans) do not sufficiently demonstrate that the creditor (Ador) has violated significant obligations under the exclusive contract, leading to a breakdown of trust between the parties."

The members raised several concerns, including fears of a production gap following the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin, comments made by then-CEO Park Ji-won about giving the members extended vacations, disputes involving director Shin Woo-seok, and various incidents that they claimed undermined their integrity as a group. However, the court did not accept these claims as valid reasons for terminating the exclusive contract.

Specifically, the court noted that the dismissal of Min Hee-jin was a matter of management judgment and not directly related to the production duties for the members. It concluded that there was no contractual obligation requiring Min Hee-jin to be the sole producer.

As a result, the members' new name, NJZ, and their independent activities are now restricted. They are prohibited from engaging in entertainment activities without prior approval from Ador, including through legal representatives or third parties.

This injunction will remain in effect until the first-instance ruling on the validity of the exclusive contract filed by Ador against NewJeans is announced. Additionally, the court indicated that the five members would be responsible for the related legal costs. This ruling imposes significant limitations on NewJeans' activities as NJZ.

Following the decision, Ador expressed gratitude for the court's wise judgment, affirming their commitment to supporting NewJeans as their legal agency. They also announced plans to adequately support the group during their upcoming performance at ComplexCon this weekend.

In contrast, the members of NewJeans expressed their respect for the court's decision but emphasized that it did not adequately consider the complete breakdown of trust between them and Ador. They plan to contest the ruling through an appeal process, aiming to present additional evidence to support their case. They also noted that a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract is ongoing, with a hearing scheduled for April 3.

Despite the legal challenges, the members will still participate in the upcoming ComplexCon concert in Hong Kong, stating that they made this decision to avoid causing unforeseen harm to fans and stakeholders who are looking forward to the event.