Everything You Need To Know From NewJeans’ Emergency Press Conference Announcing Termination Of Contract
NewJeans have announced their intentions to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR!
At an emergency press conference held on the 28th of November in Gangnam, Seoul. The five members attended and announced their plans to terminate their exclusive contract with ADOR as of November 29.
Let us take a look at the key takeways from the emergency press conference!
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NewJeans announce they’re terminating their contracts with ADOR
The members officially announced, “As of November 29, our exclusive contracts with HYBE and ADOR will be terminated.”
Hyein said, “We were hurt and shocked by media manipulation. We’ve already witnessed too many instances of false information being greatly exaggerated to mislead the public.” She explained their loss of trust in ADOR’s current leadership after Min Hee Jin’s departure.
Hanni added, “We’ve had extensive discussions and agreed this was the best course of action. After making the decision, we moved forward confidently.” She shared that their parents were highly supportive, noting, “It’s absurd to face such circumstances, but we won’t hide because we don’t need to. We just want to continue working freely, happily, and comfortably, which is why we’re terminating our contracts.”
NewJeans on whether Min Hee Jin was contacted regarding this decision + a message to Bang Si Hyuk
Hanni was asked if there had been any communication with former CEO Min Heejin regarding the process of holding the press conference. She replied, “First of all, this is our job in a way. It’s something we do together, and it involves the lives of all five of us. We had many discussions among ourselves, agreed this was the best course of action, and proceeded after making that decision.”
She continued, “Our parents are very supportive of us. They think the mere fact that we’re experiencing this is absurd. We’re not going to stay hidden. That’s why we’re here today—to freely and happily do the work we originally wanted to do.”
When Haerin was asked about any messages for Bang Si Hyuk and whether they planned to continue working with Min Heejin in the future, she responded, “As we have stated, we wish to continue working on meaningful activities with Min Heejin. I don’t believe there’s anything specific we need to convey to Bang Si Hyuk.” She added, “Although we haven’t spoken directly with Min Heejin, I think she likely shares the same sentiments as us.”
NewJeans on why they’re terminating their contracts
On this day, Minji stated, “The application for a provisional injunction to suspend the validity of the exclusive contract is because Ador and HYBE violated the terms of the contract. Once the contract is terminated, the validity of the exclusive contract will be suspended, so there will be no obstacles to our future activities. We don’t see a need to proceed with such a lawsuit unnecessarily.”
When asked if this could be perceived as them unilaterally breaking the contract, Minji emphasized again, “This is about terminating the contract because Ador and HYBE violated its terms.”
She added, “We had sufficient discussions and sent a formal notice, but since there was no response, we are terminating the contract.”
NewJeans’ scheduled activities will remain unaffected
Regarding concerns about scheduled activities and ongoing advertisements, Danielle clarified, “If the exclusive contract is terminated, we will no longer be artists under ADOR. We plan to leave ADOR to pursue the activities we genuinely wish for. However, scheduled and contracted commitments will continue as planned. I want to reassure advertisers not to worry—we have no intention of causing any inconvenience or harm.”
NewJeans comment on the massive penalty fees for terminating the contract
Under the Fair Trade Commission’s standard exclusive contract, penalties for termination are calculated based on the average monthly revenue from the past two years multiplied by the remaining months of the contract. This could amount to billions of won [million of dollars and its estimated to surpass 100s of millions of dollars].
To this, Haerin said, “I’ve seen several articles about the penalties. We have not violated the contract. We have been fully committed to our activities, so we see no reason to pay any penalties. Rather, ADOR and HYBE violated the contract, so responsibility lies with them.”
What about NewJeans’ trademark rights?
The trademark rights to the name “NewJeans” are also a contentious issue. Hyein stated, “There’s a possibility we may not be able to use the name NewJeans due to trademark issues, despite our wishes. However, the five of us will always be NewJeans, and we have no intention of giving up the name. To some, this might seem like a mere trademark issue, but for us, it holds all the days and memories we’ve shared since our first meeting. We will strive to secure the name and its rights. Currently, no legal actions have been taken regarding the trademark, but we may need to consult on this matter moving forward.”
NewJeans thoughts on ADOR’s statement last night + their lack of response to their ultimatum
Regarding the possibility of improving relations with Ador or HYBE, Minji said, “We’ve expressed our stance multiple times, but the sudden willingness to talk now feels performative. Even yesterday’s statement seemed forced.” Hyein added, “We’ve been hurt and shocked by the media play, seeing false claims exaggerated to mislead the public. We’ve lost trust in Ador and HYBE.”
Some questioned why NewJeans announced their press conference at 6 PM, before receiving ADOR’s response. This raised suspicions that the decision to terminate the contract had already been made.
Minji clarified, “We provided them with corrective requests and deadlines, but they did nothing. Instead, they responded with lies and excuses, always delaying and evading. This has been their consistent attitude toward us. We no longer wish to waste our precious time. At midnight on the 29th, we will proceed with the termination as planned.”
She concluded, “We will discuss legal matters later. This is an unprecedented case. For now, we’re sharing our stance.”
What do you think of this?
