The agency ADOR and the girl group NewJeans engaged in a legal battle over the possibility of producing 'ADOR without Min Hee-jin' during the first hearing of the exclusive contract validity confirmation lawsuit.
The Civil Division 41 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jeong Hoe-il) held the first hearing of the exclusive contract validity confirmation lawsuit filed by ADOR against the five members of NewJeans. The members did not appear in court that day.
The representative for ADOR argued, "It is nonsense to say that NewJeans cannot exist without Min Hee-jin," adding, "ADOR is a top-tier HYBE subsidiary in Korea, so it is absurd to claim that they cannot find another producer." He continued, "Considering that the members independently prepared for the Hong Kong performance and achieved a certain level of success, it is contradictory to say that only Min Hee-jin can produce."
On the other hand, NewJeans' representative countered, "Regardless of the significance of former CEO Min's absence, ADOR claims that producing through another producer is possible, but from the members' perspective, no alternative has been provided." He added, "With Min Hee-jin ousted and new management in place, ADOR now holds different values compared to when the contract was originally signed, effectively making it a completely different corporation. While each point alone may not justify contract termination, the trust has been broken to an irreparable extent."
In response, ADOR stated, "It is said that CEO Min was ousted, but she left voluntarily," and added, "The company had no time, and since consultation with the members was a prerequisite, there was no communication afterward, leaving us no choice." They also announced plans to submit additional materials showing that they can support the NewJeans members well if they return.
When the court asked both parties about the possibility of settlement or mediation, ADOR expressed, "We hope for a settlement." Conversely, NewJeans replied, "That does not seem to be the case. Given the mental state, it does not seem like a situation to consider that."
Regarding the 'breakdown of trust' claimed by NewJeans, the court stated, "Usually, a breakdown of trust means clear cases like failure to settle accounts, but this is a unique case, so we will consider how to view trust in long-term contract management and producing."
The court set the next hearing for June 5 at 11:10 a.m. and concluded the trial.
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