Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
About a week ago, NewJeans unilaterally announced the termination of their contracts with ADOR, which would force the company to file lawsuit against them to confirm its validity. Predictably, ADOR has now done that, according to a statement.
On December 3, we filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to legally confirm the validity of our exclusive contracts with our artist NewJeans.
That’s honestly the bulk of their statement, with the rest of it essentially being an appeal not to consider this individual case but the potential ripple effects it could have throughout the industry.
We did not wish for the issue with our artist to be resolved through legal judgment, but this inevitable decision was made to clarify to the artist and various stakeholders that the exclusive contracts between the agency and the artist cannot be lightly terminated based on one-sided claims. Above all, we seek clear judgment from the court to uphold the foundation of the K-pop industry, which has grown based on a healthy trust relationship between artists and agencies, and further, the foundation of the Korean popular culture industry.
It is with heavy hearts that we share this news, but it is to prevent any misunderstandings that the artists might have about the legality of the contract termination, which could lead to violations of the current exclusive contract in their entertainment activities, causing unexpected damage and confusion among domestic and international industry stakeholders.
Today’s K-pop has developed through the synergy of the artists’ talents and relentless efforts and the companies’ full investment and trust. In an uncertain environment where it is difficult to predict success or failure, the agencies’ proactive support over a long period of time is essential for popular culture and especially the K-pop industry. An agency’s proactive support is based on the expectation and belief that the agency and the artist can grow together over a certain period of time, and this mutual agreement is the foundation of the exclusive contract.
If this fundamental agreement is not upheld, the agency’s efforts, which have endured long periods of uncertainty and provided total trust in the form of investment, will be rendered powerless and irrecoverable. This means that systematic support, investment, and system enhancement in this industry can no longer be expected, and we are most concerned that the virtuous cycle of growth in the K-pop industry, which has rapidly developed through the sweat and dreams of many, will be disrupted.
ADOR say they wish to continue on with NewJeans despite the issues.
ADOR’s stance on continuing with NewJeans remains unchanged. Separate from seeking judicial judgment on the validity of the exclusive contract, we believe that sufficient and sincere discussions with the artists are absolutely necessary. Despite numerous earnest requests from ADOR’s employees, we have not yet had the opportunity to communicate with the artists, but we will make continuous efforts to resolve any unnecessary misunderstandings between the artists and the agency. We will do our best to repay the love for NewJeans’ music with better activities. We ask for your support and encouragement so that ADOR and the members of NewJeans can all wisely overcome the current situation.
ADOR are probably doing the right thing in making a broad appeal to the industry/other companies/courts/politicians/whoever in basically saying we need the status quo for all this to work, as I could see that very much being in line with much of their beliefs. That said, it kinda invokes the opposite feeling to me knowing what the status quo has meant since K-pop’s beginning. It’s like the industry self-jerk version of K-pop companies marketing themselves as families or whatever.
Anyway, I know you guys like to play lawyer in the comments, but I’m just gonna wait for stuff to come out on that front. Regardless, I think it’s clear by now that the best outcome is that everybody goes their separate ways, and it just effectively comes down to where Min Hee Jin and NewJeans end up afterward and how much of a termination fee (if any) they’ll have to pay. That’s unfortunately also probably going to take time, so strap in.
