NewJeans reaffirms supposed contract termination with ADOR amid lawsuit

NewJeans remained firm with their claim that their exclusive contract with HYBE sublabel ADOR has already been terminated.

According to an article by Soompi, the members of NewJeans issued a responding statement after ADOR filed a lawsuit to confirm the validity of NewJeans’ contract.

The members stated that they believed they have already returned profit “exceeding the investment” of ADOR and HYBE during their two-year stint as a group, which addresses ADOR’s claim that the contract cannot be terminated “until the company recoups its support and investments.”

“Our trust in ADOR and HYBE, who have repeatedly violated contract terms and failed to fulfill their duty to protect their artists, has already collapsed. According to the terms of our exclusive contracts, there is no longer any reason for us to continue working with ADOR and HYBE… The exclusive contract clearly states that if ADOR fails to fulfill its contractual obligations, we have the right to terminate the contract,” the statement read.

NewJeans said that it was “not only unreasonable but also inhumane” if they continued working for another five years with ADOR, as they no longer trusted the company.

They also accused ADOR and HYBE of harassing their managers and performance directors with confiscation of their laptops and sudden investigations.

Despite this, the members assured that they were still finishing remaining scheduled activities with ADOR despite the supposed termination of their contracts on November 29.

“ADOR has filed a lawsuit seeking a court ruling on the legality of this termination, but this is merely a procedural step to obtain post-facto confirmation from the court. We deeply regret that ADOR has issued a statement misleading the public into believing that the contracts are still valid,” the statement read.

“We deeply regret that ADOR, which consistently offered evasive excuses, has now filed a lawsuit. However, we hope that through the legal process, the reasons for our decision to terminate our exclusive contracts and ADOR’s contract violations will be fully revealed,” the statement added.

NewJeans announced their decision to leave ADOR and terminate their contracts in a press conference on November 28 due to alleged mistreatment and inaction on alleged breach of contract on part of the agency.

The HYBE sublabel claimed that they have not violated any contract, and that “unilaterally broken” trust was not a viable ground for contract termination.

On December 5, ADOR filed a lawsuit to reaffirm the validity of NewJeans’ exclusive artist contract with the company.

In a statement, the HYBE sublabel said it was an "inevitable decision" they had to take to clarify to concerned parties that the contract cannot suddenly be terminated "based on one-sided claims."

"It is with heavy hearts that we share this news, but it is to prevent any misunderstandings that the artists might have about the legality of the contract termination, which could lead to violations of the current exclusive contract in their entertainment activities, causing unexpected damage and confusion among domestic and international industry stakeholders," ADOR said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/JCB, GMA Integrated News