Court Rules Against NewJeans' Contract Termination, Upholds Exclusive Agreement with ADOR
The South Korean girl group NewJeans faces a legal setback as the court rules in favor of their agency, ADOR, maintaining the validity of their exclusive contract. The Seoul Central District Court's Civil Agreement Division 50, led by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, granted ADOR's request for an injunction to prevent NewJeans from engaging in independent activities or signing with another agency.

The court dismissed most of NewJeans' claims for contract termination. Regarding the demand for CEO Min Hee-jin's return, the court noted that ADOR has the capability to hire a replacement producer, and Min's position was not a condition of the exclusive contract. The court also found no grounds in former CEO Park Ji-won's comments about a long vacation to prohibit entertainment activities.

Additionally, the court found that the music industry report containing the phrase 'New Abandon' included many proposals for NewJeans' success, making it difficult to interpret as a document intending to abandon the group. Claims that the group I-LIT plagiarized NewJeans were also dismissed. The court determined that the PR manager's request to correct NewJeans' album sales figures was merely a factual correction, not an insult or defamation.

Furthermore, the court stated that additional termination reasons presented during the trial, which were not included in the original demands, do not constitute grounds for contract termination due to breach of obligations.

Court Rules Against NewJeans' Contract Termination, Upholds Exclusive Agreement with ADOR
Previously, NewJeans announced the termination of their contract with ADOR in a press conference last November, maintaining their stance that the contract was void. They were scheduled to perform at international events like Hong Kong ComplexCon, but doing so would now be considered a violation.

ADOR maintains that the exclusive contract with NewJeans is valid until July 31, 2029. In December, ADOR filed a lawsuit to confirm the contract's validity and, in January, sought an injunction to prevent NewJeans from engaging in music and entertainment activities, including songwriting, composing, and performing.

Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
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