Latest news with #Ador
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Why NewJeans declined re-appeal — and how it could affect main lawsuit against Ador
Legal expert says main trial could take up to two and a half years NewJeans is facing what may be the most difficult moment in its short but high-profile career. The girl group chose not to re-appeal in a court case that had barred them from pursuing independent activities without their agency Ador. Under Korean law, a re-appeal to an injunction ruling must be filed within seven days of notification. Since NewJeans did not meet the deadline, the ruling became final at midnight on Wednesday. The injunction, upheld by the appeals court, recognized Ador as the group's legal agency and prohibited the members from signing advertising or commercial deals without Ador's involvement. NewJeans' decision not to contest the ruling suggests the group has opted to shift its focus — possibly to the main legal battle over the validity of its contract. Why the group declined to re-appeal Entertainment lawyer Bae Jin-sung of Law Firm Myoungjae believes there are two likely reasons for NewJeans' decision not to re-appeal. 'Trials in Korea go through three stages. The first and second instances are fact-finding trials, while the third is a legal review based on those facts,' Bae told The Korea Herald, Thursday. 'Since the factual circumstances haven't changed, NewJeans likely determined there was no legal merit in pursuing another appeal.' The second reason, Bae said, may have been strategic. 'They may have wanted to avoid appearing defiant of the court's decision, especially since it could influence the main lawsuit still in progress.' That main lawsuit began in January, when Ador filed a lawsuit to confirm the validity of its exclusive contract with NewJeans. The girl group had unilaterally announced the termination of its exclusive contract with the agency in November, citing a breach of trust. The case is currently in the first trial stage, with the third hearing set for July 24. While the recent injunction decision is technically separate from the contract validity case, Bae said it may carry indirect weight. 'The judge in the main case is not legally bound by the injunction ruling, but it could serve as a reference point and may have intangible influence,' he said. How long will the lawsuit take — and who stands to lose more? According to Bae, the main trial could take up to two and a half years, though some extreme cases take up to five years. 'Realistically, each trial level typically takes six months to a year, and even if the case goes all the way to the Supreme Court, it's unlikely to stretch out to five years,' he said. If NewJeans eventually wins, the earlier injunction that upheld Ador's status as NewJeans' agency would become void. This would allow the group to resume independent activities. However, Bae added that Ador could then raise a separate legal claim for lost revenue during the group's inactive period — setting the stage for further litigation. The stakes are high. NewJeans, which debuted in July 2022, is in a key growth phase when constant activity is vital to maintaining its momentum. In contrast, Ador has less to lose, as it can create a new group. Bae also weighed in on NewJeans' legal argument, based on five claims — one of which was the dismissal of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. 'It's difficult to comment definitively without reviewing the evidence,' he said. 'But based on what has been made public, NewJeans' chances of winning seem low. 'For example, they cited Min's dismissal as a breach of contract, but that's a shareholder right. It's hard to legally frame that as a betrayal of trust or contractual violation,' he added.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
NewJeans' Danielle attends Omega event in Japan with Ador staff
SEOUL – K-pop girl group NewJeans' Danielle was spotted at an event in Japan accompanied by staff from her agency Ador, a first since the girl group took legal action against the company. The 20-year-old Korean-Australian singer was in Kyoto, Japan, on June 18 to attend Swiss luxury watchmaker Omega's product launch for its new Aqua Terra 30mm collection. Also at the event were celebrities such as American model Ashley Graham, Nigerian singer Tems, American singer-actress Ariana DeBose and British actress Marisa Abela. Danielle, whose full name is Danielle Marsh, appeared at the event as a global ambassador of the brand, which she has endorsed since 2024. According to officials quoted by South Korean news outlet Sports Chosun, the event was part of Danielle's endorsement commitments, which had been planned way in advance by Ador. NewJeans also comprise Minji, 21; Hanni, 20; Haerin, 19; and Hyein, 17. The girl group have been in conflict with Ador since November 2024, when the members unilaterally declared they had terminated their contracts with the agency, citing a breach of trust. Since then, the group have attempted to operate independently under the name NJZ. The Seoul High Court on June 17 rejected an appeal filed by NewJeans , which challenged an injunction that barred them from independently signing advertising contracts or pursuing entertainment work without Ador's prior approval. The court's decision upheld a previous ruling in favour of Ador, a label under K-pop conglomerate Hybe, reinforcing its claim that the girl group's exclusive contracts remain valid. July marks three years since NewJeans' debut. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
AsiaOne
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Seoul High Court rules NewJeans must honour contracts with Ador, Entertainment News
NewJeans have had their request for an appeal to be freed of their contract with record label Ador rejected. Seoul High Court ruled on Tuesday (June 17) that the K-pop girl group — comprising Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — must honour their contracts with Ador and not embark on solo endeavours as they could be penalised for doing so. Commenting on the decision, Ador said in a statement: "We sincerely appreciate the court's decision. We hope that this ruling will serve as an opportunity for the members to return to their rightful place as NewJeans and resume their activities. As they approach their third debut anniversary next month, Ador is committed to providing full support for the artists' further growth and success." The K-pop label had suggested the girls inking independent deals could "destabilise" the South Korean music sector. Ador — which is part of the Hybe group — said: "This decision was made to prevent confusion and potential harm to third parties, including advertisers. "Allowing unilateral terminations of exclusive contracts and independent activities without legal procedures could undermine investment in the entertainment industry and destabilise the K-pop sector." In September, NewJeans accused Ador of bullying, harassment and subterfuge, and two months later, they requested their contract be terminated. However, South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labour dismissed the harassment claims. The girls held an emergency press conference to announce their exit from Ador and warned the agency they would terminate their contract if they did not rectify breaches of their contract. In response, Ador said: "We regret that the press conference regarding the termination of the exclusive contract was planned and conducted without sufficient review, prior to receiving a response to the legal notice." Ador then filed a lawsuit against NewJeans to "clarify" that their contract "cannot be unilaterally terminated" based on their claims. The label said: "It was necessary to clarify to both the artist and all relevant stakeholders that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims from one side." Ador added: "We believe it is important to clarify any misunderstanding that the exclusive contract with the artist has been lawfully terminated, as this could lead to the artist engaging in entertainment activities in violation of the existing agreement." Ador denied all the allegations made against them. [[nid:716425]]
Korea Herald
19-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
NewJeans' Danielle attends Omega event in Japan with Ador staff: report
Danielle of NewJeans was spotted in Kyoto, Japan, attending a product launch event hosted by Swiss watchmaker Omega on Wednesday. Local news outlets uploaded video clips showing the idol in a black, off-shoulder dress that accentuated her chin-length blonde bob. She appeared at the event as a global ambassador of the brand, which she has endorsed since last year. Danielle was accompanied by staff from her agency Ador, according to a local media outlet, a first since the group took legal action against the company. A Seoul court on Tuesday rejected the members' appeal of an injunction filed by Ador, which banned the group's independent activities, again siding with the management company in its final ruling. The group has been in conflict with Ador since November last year, when all members declared they had terminated their contracts with the agency.
CNA
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Court dismisses NewJeans' appeal against injuction ruling
On Tuesday (Jun 17), the 25-2 Civil Division of the Seoul High Court dismissed an appeal filed by members of K-pop girl group NewJeans against a previous court ruling to prohibit their independent activities. In November last year, NewJeans unilaterally ended their contracts with South Korean music label Ador, citing workplace harassment and other issues. The group then proceeded to carry out numerous independent activities. In January this year, Ador applied for an injunction against NewJeans that would prohibit members of the quintet from signing advertising contracts independently. On Mar 21, the Seoul Central District Court granted this injunction. Days later, following the group's performance at the pop culture convention ComplexCon Hong Kong, the members of NewJeans declared that the group will go on a hiatus to respect the court's ruling. Last month, the Seoul Central District Court announced that it had accepted Ador's application for an indirect compulsory enforcement – a type of penalty imposed for not complying with a court order – against NewJeans. As such, the court declared that each NewJeans member will have to pay 1 billion won (US$727,180) for every unauthorised activity performed from here on out.
