Legal Experts Weigh In On The Validity Of NewJeans Terminating Their Contract With ADOR
NewJeans held a press conference on November 28, 2024, where they announced the termination of their official contract with ADOR.
The five members hereby notify ADOR of the termination of our exclusive contracts as ADOR has violated the obligations under the contract and has not corrected them within the request period. The termination notice is per the contract, and we have all signed the termination document. The notice will take effect immediately after reaching ADOR on November 29, 2024. Thus, the exclusive contract will be invalid from that point on. With this, there is no reason to file an injunction to terminate the contract, and we can freely continue activities starting from November 29, 2024.
— NewJeans
Following their shocking announcement, legal experts in South Korea gave their opinion about the situation. According to these professionals, there is nothing that ADOR can do.
They cannot stop NewJeans’ independence.
— Legal professional
A former judge, Lee Hyung Gon, commented that it was a very strategetical choice that NewJeans made, to terminate their contract without any mediation.
Normally, celebrities will apply for provisional injunctions if they want to terminate their exclusive contracts. But if so, all their activities will be restricted until the court comes to a conclusion. NewJeans announced their termination without a lawsuit, making it a situation where ADOR has to file a lawsuit instead. This is a smart strategy. It is also an unfounded claim that the termination of a contract without litigation is invalid. They have sufficient reasons for the termination of the contract, unlike HYBE’s unilateral termination of their shareholder contract with Min Hee Jin.
— NewJeans
Using this method, NewJeans will not have any restrictions on their activities, even as the lawsuit proceeds. Legal representatives are sure that celebrities will follow suit in the future, given NewJeans’ example. You can read more about NewJeans’ statement below.
NewJeans Officially Announces They Will Continue Activities Free From HYBE And ADOR
