Korean entertainment agency ADOR secured a preliminary injunction from a Seoul court prohibiting girl group NewJeans (aka NJZ) from pursuing independent activities.
In a decision on March 21, the Seoul Central District Court accepted ADOR’s application for an injunction against NewJeans "preserve the status of the agency and prohibit the signing of advertising contracts, etc."
“We express our sincere gratitude for the court's judicious decision to grant the preliminary injunction. With our status as NewJeans' exclusive agency now legally affirmed, we are fully committed to supporting the artists going forward,” ADOR said in a statement issued on March 21 after its court victory.
ADOR added that it will be present at ComplexCon Hong Kong 2025 to make sure that the name NewJeans will be used for the performance.
NewJeans (Instagram)
NewJeans will perform at the event on March 23 to be held at the Hong Kong Asiaworld-Expo.
“We will be fully present at ComplexCon this weekend to guarantee the performance is presented under the NewJeans name," the agency said.
The agency is also looking forward to meeting NewJeans for a “heartfelt conversation.”
“We eagerly anticipate meeting with the artists for a heartfelt conversation at the earliest opportunity. We sincerely request your ongoing support and encouragement for NewJeans as they continue to grow together with ADOR,” said ADOR.
Last January, ADOR, a subsidiary of Korean entertainment company HYBE, filed a preliminary injunction to prevent NewJeans from signing independent advertising contracts without its consent.
Afterwards, ADOR expanded the purpose of the injunction application to prohibit NewJeans from engaging in entertainment activities, including music activities such as writing lyrics, composing, and singing.
It said on Jan. 13 that last week, it “filed a preliminary injunction with the Seoul Central District Court to prevent the NewJeans members from engaging in any independent promotional activities without the company's consent and to reaffirm the company's position as the group's exclusive management agency.”
The injunction followed ADOR’s Dec. 3 lawsuit “in which the company sought a declaration affirming the validity of its exclusive contracts with the NewJeans members.”
“The current injunction is designed to preserve ADOR’s exclusive management rights until a ruling is made on the first lawsuit,” it said.
NewJeans announced in November last year that they terminated their exclusive contract with ADOR. They are now using the name NJZ.
In its January statement, ADOR said, “The company initiated this legal action due to the NewJeans members’ unilateral termination of their contracts and attempts to engage in promotional agreements with advertisers independently. Such actions have resulted in confusion and potential harm to third parties, including advertisers.”
“While ADOR’s initial lawsuit seeks to validate the exclusivity of the contracts, the legal proceedings may take considerable time. To address immediate concerns and prevent further disruptions, ADOR has been compelled to pursue additional injunction,” it said.
It added, “This legal step underscores ADOR's commitment to its continued partnership with NewJeans and its belief that the members’ independent actions could negatively affect the group’s brand value, and ultimately, threaten the company’s business. The injunction also reflects concerns that, should the members continue their independent activities, it could lead to unnecessary legal disputes, ultimately impacting the company’s long-term viability. Even if a final legal judgment confirms the contracts’ validity in the future, it may not be possible to fully restore the situation by then.”
“In the injunction application, ADOR included the need to provide an opportunity to correct any missteps before legal liabilities escalate uncontrollably, for the sake of NewJeans members. The company also conveyed widespread concerns within the industry, noting that if a precedent is set whereby exclusive contracts can be unilaterally terminated and independent activities pursued without following legal procedures, it could undermine investment in the entertainment industry, destabilizing the foundation of the K-pop sector,” ADOR said.
The company said, “ADOR has continued to support NewJeans by providing necessary resources and facilities as the company believes the exclusive agreement remains valid, and plans to maintain this support moving forward. Additionally, ADOR has received external proposals for various projects, such as advertisements and promotional events, and has finalized plans for this year’s activities, including the release of a studio album and fan meets. ADOR has expressed its intent to fully communicate with the NewJeans members as these plans progress.”