ADOR’s unique contracts with the NewJeans members have been dominated legitimate.
On the morning of October 30, the forty first Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Courtroom dominated in favor of the plaintiff in ADOR’s lawsuit searching for court docket affirmation that the unique contracts with the 5 NewJeans members are legitimate.
The court docket said, “It’s troublesome to conclude that ADOR breached the unique contract solely by dismissing former CEO Min Hee Jin.” They additional discovered, “Even when Min Hee Jin was faraway from the CEO place, she may have carried out producer duties as a director on the board, and it was not mandatory for her to stay CEO to take action.”
The bench defined, “It’s exhausting to see whether or not Min Hee Jin’s dismissal is a core subject that determines the continued validity of the unique contract, and there’s no clause within the contract that gives a foundation for this.” They added, “Even when the defendants (NewJeans) had nice belief in former CEO Min Hee Jin, that alone doesn’t represent grounds to terminate the unique contract.”
The court docket additionally famous, “Even after dismissing former CEO Min Hee Jin, ADOR continued efforts to hold on administration work with the defendants,” and, “Contemplating preparations for album releases, performances and fan conferences, and promoting and tour plans, it’s troublesome to conclude that the plaintiff (ADOR) uncared for its administration obligations.”
The court docket additionally discovered that HYBE’s audit of former CEO Min Hee Jin—who had launched a media offensive with exposés alleging that ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM copied NewJeans—was lawful. The court docket’s place was: “Former CEO Min Hee Jin initiated the battle of media play first as of April 3 and April 11, 2024. She waged this motion to not defend NewJeans however for the aim of reaching independence.”
The court docket additionally didn’t settle for NewJeans’ declare that they suffered office harassment—{that a} supervisor of BELIFT LAB’s lady group ILLIT made disparaging remarks about NewJeans member Hanni. The court docket mentioned, “Primarily based on the proof submitted alone, it’s troublesome to conclude that Hanni heard remarks from a supervisor of ILLIT—comparable to ‘ignore her’—that rose to the extent of infringing her character rights.” The court docket additional discovered, “ADOR took ample steps to confirm Hanni’s account together with promptly requesting that HYBE assessment related CCTV footage after the difficulty was raised.”
Following the court docket’s choice, a authorized consultant for the NewJeans members launched an official assertion, revealing that they may attraction the court docket ruling.
Learn the complete assertion beneath:
Howdy, that is Shin & Kim LLC, authorized consultant for Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein (hereafter the “members”).
For the lawsuit filed by ADOR in opposition to the members for the affirmation of the validity of their unique contracts, the Seoul Central District Courtroom dominated on the court docket of first occasion immediately that the unique contracts are legitimate.
The members respect the court docket’s choice, however on condition that their relationship of belief with ADOR has utterly collapsed, they imagine it’s unimaginable to return to ADOR and proceed their actions within the leisure trade in a traditional method.
Accordingly, the members will instantly attraction the first-instance ruling, they usually hope the appellate court docket will as soon as once more comprehensively assessment the details so far and the authorized rules governing termination of the unique contracts and render a clever judgment.
Lastly, we want to categorical honest gratitude to the followers who’re ready and displaying help for this lengthy time period.
Thanks.
On November 28 final yr, NewJeans held an emergency press conference, declaring they would go away the corporate, saying the problems that they had requested ADOR to rectify had not been addressed. That they had additionally referred to as for the reinstatement of former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, who was faraway from her publish in August final yr following a battle with HYBE.
They subsequently opened new social media accounts and, on February 7, introduced a brand new group identify “NJZ” embarking on unbiased actions.
ADOR, nonetheless, maintained that the unique contracts stay legitimate and filed a lawsuit final December searching for a court docket affirmation of their validity.
