The group NewJeans has appointed additional lawyers ahead of the second hearing for the lawsuit confirming the validity of their exclusive contract with their agency, Ador.
According to the legal community on the 21st, NewJeans submitted a document designating additional legal representatives on the 9th, ahead of the second hearing for the lawsuit filed by Ador regarding the validity of the exclusive contract.
As a result, the total number of legal representatives for NewJeans has increased to 13, including Lee Won, a partner lawyer at the law firm Sejong. Ador has appointed 12 lawyers from Kim & Chang as their legal representatives, leading both sides to prepare large legal teams for the court battle.
Regarding the news of NewJeans appointing additional lawyers, Kim Sung-soon and Kim Yu-ri, lawyers from the law firm Hanil representing NewJeans, stated, “The relationship between a large agency and idol members is structurally and inevitably unequal and unfair in all measures of power valued in our society, such as organization, funds, connections, age, and gender.”
The legal representatives for NewJeans expressed, “The cold public opinion following the unjust judgment of the preliminary injunction, as well as the reports that consume each member as content without any in-depth consideration, are causing significant harm to each member of NewJeans,” and added, “The simple comparison of the number of lawyers representing Ador and those representing NewJeans is very concerning and alarming.”
Meanwhile, NewJeans held an emergency press conference last November, announcing that their contract with Ador was terminated due to a breach of the exclusive contract. They subsequently announced their new group name, NJZ, and began independent activities.
In response, Ador stated, “Claiming that trust has been unilaterally broken cannot be a reason for termination,” and filed a lawsuit in court to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract. They also filed for a preliminary injunction to prevent the members from engaging in independent activities.
The court accepted Ador's request for a preliminary injunction against NewJeans, which included a ban on 'maintaining the status of the agency and entering into advertising contracts,' and issued a decision to fully grant it. As a result, NewJeans is now unable to engage in independent activities without prior approval or consent from Ador.
On the same day the preliminary injunction was granted, NewJeans filed an objection with the court, but it was dismissed. Consequently, NewJeans immediately appealed, leading the dispute between both sides to proceed to the second trial.
Separately, the first trial of the lawsuit filed by Ador to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract with NewJeans is ongoing. The second hearing for the main lawsuit is scheduled for June 5.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
