Recently, ADOR filed a lawsuit to confirm the agency’s contract validity with NewJeans, as a response to NewJeans’ claim of contract termination, which was made in a press conference previously held by the girl group.
Addressing this, NewJeans issued an official statement, which expressed regret over the chaotic circumstances and acknowledged learning through media reports about ADOR’s legal action.
They also provided detailed reasons for their stance, explaining their perspective on the contract dispute and their future plans.
Below is the full statement from NewJeans:
“Hello, this is Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.
We feel regretful having to release such a statement amid this unsettling situation.
Recently, through the media, we learned that ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation that our exclusive contracts with them remain valid. In its official statement, ADOR failed to properly assert that there were no breaches of the exclusive contract. Instead, it merely repeated the claim that, since the company provided support and investment, contract termination is impossible until those costs are recovered.
However, we have already returned profits exceeding ADOR and HYBE’s investments, and HYBE has attempted to sabotage us by maligning and reverse virally devaluing us, and ADOR has aided and abetted this after a change in management. It’s almost as if the company that is supposed to protect us has created our own bad publicity, and we believe we are likely to suffer more harm in the future, especially given this breakdown in trust.
Our trust in ADOR and HYBE has been shattered by their inability to fulfill their obligations to protect their artists and their repeated breaches of contract. As stated in our exclusive agreement, there is no longer any reason to work with ADOR and HYBE.
The exclusivity agreement clearly states that we can terminate the agreement if ADOR fails to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Forcing us to work for another five years despite this breakdown of trust and breach of contract is not only unreasonable, but inhumane.
We gave them a 14-day grace period to cure the breach, but they failed to do so at all, so we gave them notice of termination, which was effective immediately, in accordance with the Exclusive Agreement.
ADOR has now filed a lawsuit seeking a court’s judgment on the legality of this termination. However, this is merely a post facto procedure to obtain judicial confirmation. We express our deep regret that, despite this, ADOR issued a statement misleading the public into believing that the contract still remains in force.
To be clear, as of November 29, 2024, we are no longer part of ADOR, and ADOR has no right to interfere or intervene in our activities.
We were horrified and disgusted to read the media reports that announced dialogue and reconciliation on the surface, while behind the scenes, they followed us, slandered us, and spread falsehoods. However, no matter how much they try to divide us, the five of us are united and nothing can separate us.
We are diligently working on the remaining scheduled shows with ADOR as promised shortly after the announcement of our termination, but we have also witnessed managers and staff who are helping us with those shows crying because they have been severely harassed by ADOR and HYBE, including having their laptops taken away from them and being subjected to interrogations. We find this behavior towards the staff working on the remaining shows to be completely unacceptable, and we are distressed that we are not the only ones being harmed by this unconscionable and inhumane company.
We know we have a long road ahead of us, but we have a dream of a life with our fans who love us through healthy music and we want to make sure we fulfill that dream.
Even after the change of CEO, and despite multiple revelations of HYBE’s problems, ADOR has not corrected them, nor has it demanded improvements from other labels that have defamed and misrepresented us. We are deeply disappointed that ADOR has chosen to sue us again, and we look forward to the trial process, which will shed light on the circumstances that led us to choose to terminate our exclusive contract and the reasons for ADOR breach of contract.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many people who have supported us, and we ask for your continued support and love for the five of us.”
Source: Daum, X
