Members of K-pop sensation NewJeans have appealed for continued support in their independent endeavors.
They reiterated the termination of their contract with ADOR, despite the talent agency insisting it remains valid.
Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein held an emergency press conference on Thursday, November 28, to announce that they would terminate their contracts with ADOR effective November 29, citing the agency’s breach of contract and failure to address their concerns.
On November 13, NewJeans sent a certification of contents to ADOR which outlines the group’s demands to act on several issues including identifying and addressing those responsible for allegedly abandoning the group, issuing an apology from a BELIFT LAB manager for derogatory remarks about Hanni, and addressing inappropriate comments from a staff member HYBE (ADOR’s) parent company.
It also demands the deletion of unauthorized videos and photos, an assessment of the damage caused by the “album push out,” resolution of a dispute with Director Shin Woo Seok of Dolphiners Films, and the reinstatement of former CEO Min Hee Jin. The group also seeks to preserve their unique identity and works.
Leader Minji was quoted as saying in the press conference: “We are tired of HYBE’s insincere attitude and felt once again that they have no desire to listen to our requests.
ADOR, meanwhile, released a statement expressing regret over the group’s emergency press conference to announce the termination of their contract.
The agency claimed that NewJeans did not wait for their response before holding a press conference to announce their contract termination.
“ADOR, as a party of the exclusive contracts, has not violated the contracts, and claiming that trust has been unilaterally broken does not constitute grounds for termination,” defended the agency as quoted in a Soompi report.
“The exclusive contracts between ADOR and the NewJeans members remain valid. Therefore, we expect them to continue their scheduled activities ahead together with ADOR as they have until now,” it added.
ADOR also expressed their hopes for an “open and sincere conversation” with the group, reaffirming their commitment to supporting NewJeans’ growth as global artists.
NewJeans, however, issued a termination notice to ADOR on Friday, citing the agency’s “breach of contractual obligations and failure to rectify the issues within the rectification period.”
“The notice takes effect immediately upon its delivery to ADOR on November 29, 2024. From that moment, the exclusive contract is null and void. Therefore, there is no need to file for an injunction to terminate the contract, and we are free to continue our activities from November 29, 2024,” Soompi quoted the quintet as saying.
NewJeans also stressed that they will now continue their activities independently, saying “maintaining the contract would only cause us severe mental distress.”
“We will continue to do our best to bring you great music. We would be thankful if you support and watch over the days ahead for the five of us,” they added.
The members earlier acknowledged the possibility of losing the name “NewJeans,” but said they would fight for it. The group also revealed their plans of releasing new music next year.
NewJeans debuted in July 2022 and is known for its hit songs including “Supershy,” “ETA,” “OMG,” and Ditto.
