News Hybe/MHJ Civil War Megathread (49 Viewers)

[Selfmate]

U can't convince a million possible Rosie's to pay for a lawyer to look thru a contract tho before u sign. The lawyer will only take ur money n say it's imbalanced in favor of the company. If ur lucky u get to sign(then debut) with YG or JYP with a reportedly favorable split of profits/incoming monies but then there's the ex-Pink Punk/future 2ne1 trainees who idk if they ever debuted elsewhere, only 1 I know is probably Natty who is in KioF but how many yrs did she live on dreams n hope before tat.

I hv no answers, only a fantasy of no more Sica getting kicked from a group she spent 7 yrs n another 7 yrs in training before tat. N also she nvr asked to be a kpop idol before she(or rather her sister Krystal Soo Jung) was scouted in 2000 I think. Sica was only 11 while Krystal was even younger then. Talk abt imbalance, no idea if the character Rachel in Bright is an accurate depiction of irl experience of Sica but Rachel had to convince her parents to even train at the SM analogue. Overall I hv no actual insight or anything other than my own pov.

Sign or don't sign, train or don't train. No one can prevent the young, as I think Tiffany from SNSD either defied her father or convinced him to let her fly to Korea alone n train for a few yrs before debuting in SNSD. U shd know LSM(founder of SMEnt LOL) 😆🤣😂

then it's up to the parents to assist/convince them one way or another...but that's not a contractual issue though that becomes a:

I really want to get into this hobby/business and no amount of lawyers or shitty contracts is gonna stop me - such naivety is gonna result in them getting hurt.

no different than when parents say not to date said boy/girl but the youngster does so anyway and if they get hurt as a result then well I told you so?? but again that's not a contractual issue that's a youth issue

also a good lawyer helps you understand what's in your contract so you have greater knowledge of it even if you can't change it - informed consent is better than no knowledge at all

 

[RandAlThor]

then it's up to the parents to assist/convince them one way or another...but that's not a contractual issue though that becomes a:

I really want to get into this hobby/business and no amount of lawyers or shitty contracts is gonna stop me - such naivety is gonna result in them getting hurt.

no different than when parents say not to date said boy/girl but the youngster does so anyway and if they get hurt as a result then well I told you so?? but again that's not a contractual issue that's a youth issue

also a good lawyer helps you understand what's in your contract so you have greater knowledge of it even if you can't change it - informed consent is better than no knowledge at all

I have always said if they dont bring their own lawyer to read the contract they i feel zero remorse for the kids and the parents.

The entertainment world has existed for centuries ripping ppl off. use your dang head and at least make an informed choice.

 

[Selfmate]

I have always said if they dont bring their own lawyer to read the contract they i feel zero remorse for the kids and the parents.

The entertainment world has existed for centuries ripping ppl off. use your dang head and at least make an informed choice.

I think in the entertainment industry - some of the most informed decisions are to not enter at all

kinda like War Games - the only winning move is not to play at all (you should get the reference my friend lol)

 

[Selfmate]

NewJeans Hanni secures new visa to stay in South Korea amid contract dispute

Hanni, a member of the girl group NewJeans with Australian nationality, is reported to have received a new visa. It was known that her visa expired earlier this month following a dispute over the exclusivity contract with ADOR.

On the 12th, the parents of this group member stated on their Instagram account 'njz_pr' that "Hanni received a new visa yesterday through legal procedures." However, they did not mention the type of visa Hanni received.

Hanni, a Vietnamese-Australian, declared the termination of her exclusivity contract last November due to her agency's noncompliance. In order for a foreign national to engage in entertainment activities in Korea, they must obtain an E-6 visa. Generally, after obtaining the E-6 visa through an entertainment company, one can stay in the country for up to two years.

According to claims from the NewJeans members, they currently do not have an agency. Therefore, Hanni could have received a G-1 visa, which grants eligibility to temporarily stay in the country, rather than the E-6 visa that the agency must apply for.

Hanni's visa issue was also mentioned at a full meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the same day. Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ji-won questioned Acting Minister of Justice Kim Seok-woo, saying, "One member of NewJeans, Hanni, is at risk of becoming an illegal resident and getting deported," adding, "I hope the Ministry of Justice takes proper measures so that idols can freely engage in activities." In response, Acting Minister Kim said, "The working staff is reviewing it, and I will look into it."

Meanwhile, NewJeans announced that they would change their team name to NJZ following the dispute with ADOR. They are set to appear at the music festival 'ComplexCon' in Hong Kong next month. Conversely, ADOR applied to the court for a provisional injunction to maintain its status as an agency and to prohibit the signing of advertising contracts, asserting that the exclusivity contracts with the members are legally valid.

Source: https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-society/2025/02/12/EPUJJGBOHZCOFLFN3JPBOPBTBU/

 

[Selfmate]

NJZ's Parents Confirm Hanni Has Been Issued A New Korean Visa

The representatives of NJZ have adressed member Hanni’s current visa status.

On February 12, the parents of the NJZ members posted on their Instagram, stating that Hanni was issued a new visa on February 11 through proper legal procedures.

Hanni, who holds dual citizenship in Australia and Vietnam, has been working under an E-6 (Entertainment) visa. However, as her visa expired earlier this month, various speculations arose regarding her residency status. Amidst this, reports surfaced claiming that ADOR had prepared the necessary documents for Hanni’s visa extension, but she refused to sign them. In response, the parents of the NJZ members stepped forward to clarify their stance directly.

Read the full post below:

Hello,

Over the past two days, speculative articles regarding Hanni’s residency status in Korea have been flooding the media, and false information has been spreading. We would like to take this opportunity to correct these inaccuracies.

Hanni was issued a new visa yesterday (February 11) through proper legal procedures.

ADOR pressured both Hanni and her parents by using the sensitive issue of visas, which is naturally a delicate matter for foreign residents in Korea. They demanded her signature on an extension agreement that listed ADOR as her agency, stating that failure to comply could result in illegal residency. Furthermore, they acted inappropriately by submitting personal information and documents requiring her signature to relevant institutions without her consent and only notifying her afterward. Such actions are difficult to understand from a common-sense perspective.

Some media outlets, based on unverified information, have irresponsibly used terms like “illegal resident” and spread false rumors, even causing unnecessary public complaints. Additionally, these outlets cited sources such as “anonymous music industry officials” or “multiple music industry officials” to spread false information. In earlier reports, it was stated, “ADOR had prepared all the necessary documents for the visa extension and attempted to apply, but Hanni refused to sign.” This contradicts ADOR’s statement in today’s articles that they were “unable to confirm” the situation.

Approximately 70 articles have been published over the past two days, speculating on private details such as the type of visa and its expiration date—information that is not required to be disclosed. This resulted in a serious violation of personal rights. We express deep regret that sensitive information, which only ADOR, as the agency, could have access to, has been recklessly disseminated through the media.

The unauthorized use or disclosure of personal information is unacceptable, and we believe that publishing articles without verifying such information is a serious issue. In the past, there have also been instances where personal information of members was used to obtain details about their immigration records. The situation is becoming increasingly severe, and we are now considering legal action to protect the members.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy statement. We sincerely apologize to fans for the concern and discomfort this situation may have caused. Please take care of your health. Thank you.

Source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1722...nfirm-hanni-has-been-issued-a-new-korean-visa
Original Source:

 

[Selfmate]

 

[Selfmate]

TenAsia Accuses NJZ’s (NewJeans) Parents Of Intimidation

The Korean media outlet, TenAsia, has responded to NJZ (NewJeans) publicly calling out its reporter for allegedly spreading false information.

On February 14, the official PR account of the group, run by the members’ parents, made an explosive post calling out the publication for an article that claimed that the group was unofficially being managed by Beasts And Natives Alike (BANA). The call out post mentioned TenAsia and the reporter by name, announcing legal action against them, and demanding an apology.

We plan to file a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission and take strong legal action against TenAsia for spreading these false claims without verifying the facts…We hope that TenAsia’s reporter, Lee Min Kyung, takes legal responsibility for this article and the dissemination of these false claims.

— @njz_pr/Instagram

On February 15, KST, TenAsia published a new article in response, with a heated headline that read, “NewJeans’ Parents Mentioning Reporter by Name And Intimidating….Are They Trying To Muzzle The Media?”

The article doubled down on the claims that it had indeed received intel from multiple insiders about NewJeans’ current activities being managed by BANA.

TenAsia confirmed multiple testimonies from industry insiders, along the lines of ‘BANA is organizing overseas media interview requests for New Jeans members,’ for this report. The magazine judged that there was a strong possibility of collaboration since a producer who had worked with NewJeans was at BANA. However, it was not definitively stated that the girl group was moving to BANA.

The outlet also argued that it had simply done its job by reporting on a matter of public interest and it was constitutional right of the publication to do so.

It is the job of the press to report on matters of public interest. Our constitution guarantees the freedom of the press for this purpose. It is an unreasonable act to publicly mention a reporter’s real name and intimidate them just because one dislikes the media coverage.

— TenAsia

Source: https://www.koreaboo.com/news/tenasia-accuses-njzs-newjeans-parents-intimidation/

Original Source: https://tenasia.hankyung.com/article/2025021574054

 

[Selfmate]

NJZ-PR Instagram Update

Hello.
This morning, we saw that five organizations— the Korea Entertainment Management Association, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association, the Korea Music Label Industry Association, the Korea Record Industry Association, and the Korea Music Content Association—issued a statement to the press.
It is truly regrettable that they are making statements that undermine the fairness of the trial by presenting unconfirmed facts as if they were already determined, despite knowing full well that neither the preliminary injunction nor the main trial has even begun. As always, I ask for your understanding in advance that this may be a long message, as artists have fewer channels to express their stance compared to companies that can freely do so through associations and major media outlets.
1.
The five organizations claim that the NJZ members are attempting to resolve what should be a private dispute through public opinion and unilateral declarations rather than negotiations or legal procedures. However, the public surely remembers who first began a media campaign by publicly spreading baseless allegations to oust the former CEO of ADOR, who was trying to address serious issues within HYBE. At that time, HYBE either deliberately fueled or turned a blind eye to the flood of news articles about absurd accusations such as “tampering” and “gaslighting” concerning NewJeans. Everyone also remembers that this media frenzy began less than a week before NewJeans’ comeback. No entertainment company would ever do such a thing just a week before their artist’s comeback. I would like to ask where the associations were and what they were doing back then.
2.
The five organizations also argue that the K-pop industry is suffering severe damage because a private dispute has been unilaterally made public and turned into a controversy. However, the real victims of this one-sided and unbalanced media coverage are the NJZ members, as well as the fans and general public who love and support music. And this harm continues even now. Furthermore, the decline in HYBE’s stock price and other losses are HYBE’s problems, not the K-pop industry’s problems. This clearly shows that these associations are merely representing the interests of a specific company under the guise of industry advocacy.
3.
The five organizations claim that mere allegations can dominate portal sites, online communities, and social media for extended periods, being accepted as truth without proper fact-checking, rebuttal, or criticism. This is the only part of their statement that is actually correct. Indeed, numerous falsehoods about NJZ members have flooded online platforms, and even now, the media continues to publish articles that solely reflect HYBE’s claims and interests, while reckless channels spread unverified opinions as if they were expert analyses. It is heartbreaking to witness individual entertainers being unable to stop this or actively defend themselves. I believe this sense of helplessness toward the associations and industry structures is something many entertainment professionals, artists, trainees, and their families also feel.
4.
The five organizations criticize NJZ members for engaging in independent activities despite not having legally terminated their exclusive contracts with ADOR. They argue that if contracts can be broken through unilateral declarations without legal protection, the foundation of the K-pop industry will collapse. However, this claim is entirely misleading and serves only to deceive the public. From the perspective of families who have watched over their children since their trainee days—when they were all minors—it must be emphasized that there has never been an organization or space where trainees and artists could voice their grievances and seek protection despite experiencing contract breaches and internal mistreatment. They had no choice but to rely solely on the company’s morality, existing in a blind spot where their fundamental rights were not protected. From the standpoint of the members, who have courageously decided to speak up and take legal steps despite the difficulties, it is deeply contradictory for these associations to take sides and argue solely about the instability of the industry—when, in reality, they are just advocating for corporate profits. I urge them to reflect on this inconsistency.
5.
As widely known, HYBE has openly discriminated against, attacked, and attempted to destroy NJZ members, while ADOR, a label under HYBE, neither had the ability nor the will to prevent this. In fact, as seen in the case of the attack on Dolphin Kidnappers, they even went as far as trying to dismantle the foundation of NewJeans’ entertainment career. As a result, NJZ members could no longer endure the situation and were left with no choice but to terminate their exclusive contracts. Legally, contract termination takes effect immediately, meaning that their contracts with ADOR have already ended. Therefore, from the moment of termination, the members are no longer bound by any contractual restrictions and are free to pursue their careers. This is an undeniable legal principle under Korean law. The fact that ADOR and HYBE are now pushing for legislative changes right before the trial clearly demonstrates how unreasonable and unconvincing their contractual claims are. The statement released by these associations today raises concerns that they are not only excessively restricting individual rights but also seeking ways to impose a form of legalized violence. Their argument makes it sound as if the K-pop industry would collapse unless exclusive contracts are enforced like slave contracts. This issue is fundamentally a dispute between a specific agency that has mistreated its artists and the artists themselves. It does not impact the K-pop industry as a whole. On the contrary, I believe the members’ courageous decision could set a precedent for a healthier and more creative industry filled with diverse artists. Furthermore, it is deeply regrettable that these associations frame pre-investments as a form of debt and take a one-sided stance. Trainees dedicate their precious youth and entire lives to this path. Therefore, the duty of good faith applies to both parties in a contract, not just one side. I hope this situation serves as an opportunity for young artists and trainees—who should be spending their brightest years pursuing their dreams—and their supportive fans to break free from exploitative practices that allow certain individuals to evade their responsibilities while solely chasing profit.

6.
While compiling this response, a journalist provided me with new information. The five associations are not stopping at today’s statement release; they are also planning a press conference on Thursday, February 27, at JW Marriott Hotel, inviting numerous journalists. I heard that they even offered lunch options for attendees. Given that the cost of a lunch at JW Marriott is at least 100,000 KRW per person, I wonder whether journalists will actually be able to attend without violating the Kim Young-ran Act. It also makes me question whether such an overt attempt to influence the press through hospitality is even feasible. Moreover, these five associations didn’t just distribute their statement in the morning; they reportedly redistributed the exact same content again at 1 PM. What is the purpose of sending out the same statement twice in a single day without any corrections? Isn’t this precisely what media manipulation looks like? I respectfully request that these five organizations cease their attempts to sway public opinion by solely representing the stance and interests of a particular company, as they themselves stated in their statement. For the sustainable growth of the K-pop industry, it is crucial to correct the wrongdoing of agencies that see their artists purely as money-making tools—disposable parts that can be replaced at any time. This is an issue that should be resolved through the court’s ruling.
7.
Not long ago, I heard from a ComplexCon official—who has been assisting with the concert preparations—that HYBE’s chairman, Bang Si-hyuk, personally called U.S. industry contacts, pressuring them to cancel NJZ members’ performance. Would it be too much to assume that today’s sudden statement from the five organizations is somehow related to this? I found it incredibly unpleasant and infuriating. It made me realize that HYBE, just as before, still sees the members purely as money-making tools—rather than supporting their success, they are only focused on obstructing and crushing them. Since then, I have also been informed that ADOR has been making its own attempts to interfere in various ways. Chairman Bang, back in April 2024, we sent you a protest email and requested a response from you. However, to this day, you have never replied. If you have so much to say, why not call us instead of others? I also fail to understand why the chairman of HYBE as a whole is directly intervening in a dispute that supposedly only involves ADOR. Do you still believe you can argue that ADOR and HYBE are separate entities? NJZ members are scheduled to perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong. Having escaped the oppressive environment of HYBE and ADOR, they are excited and eager to finally present themselves in a new light before their global fans. Despite attempts to obstruct them, the Hong Kong ComplexCon performance will proceed as planned, so we kindly ask for your continued support and enthusiasm. Thank you for taking the time to read this long message, and as always, I sincerely apologize for any disturbance caused. Wishing you all a warm and wonderful day.

Source:

 

[Selfmate]

ADOR Denies NJZ's Parents' Claim That Bang Si Hyuk Attempted To Cancel Upcoming Performance

ADOR has firmly denied a claim made by the NJZ members’ parents regarding their upcoming performance in Hong Kong.

On February 19, the NJZ members’ parents released a statement in which they accused HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk of attempting to get ComplexCon’s organizers to cancel NJZ’s performance at the upcoming event.

The NJZ members’ parents wrote, “We heard from a ComplexCon insider that HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk personally called [ComplexCon] organizers in the United States and tried to persuade them to cancel the NJZ members’ performance.”

That same day, ADOR responded by stating that “Bang Si Hyuk has never contacted anyone at all about NewJeans’ Hong Kong performance.”

The agency also clarified that while Bang Si Hyuk had never contacted the event’s organizers, ADOR had requested that ComplexCon use the name NewJeans rather than NJZ and work with ADOR in planning the performance. However, the label asserted, “ADOR has never attempted to get NewJeans’ Hong Kong performance cancelled.”

ADOR’s full statement is as follows:

ADOR has never attempted to get NewJeans’ Hong Kong performance cancelled.

We have also confirmed that chairman Bang Si Hyuk has never contacted anyone at all about NewJeans’ Hong Kong performance.

Just as we have previously requested to the domestic media, ADOR requested that the organizers use the official group name “NewJeans,” and we also requested that, based on [NewJeans’] exclusive contract, the organizers work with ADOR as they move forward with the performance.

NJZ is scheduled to perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong on March 23.

Source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1724...hyuk-attempted-to-cancel-upcoming-performance

Original Source: https://news.nate.com/view/20250219n32530?mid=n1008

 

[catonkatonk]

Damn it really is NJZ against the whole industry

 

[Selfmate]

Damn it really is NJZ against the whole industry

or the whole industry is against NJZ


one way or another 2025 is going to bring the

 

[Selfmate]

Former NJZ manager's workplace harassment claim vs. Ador dismissed again

By KTimes
The workplace harassment complaint of a former manager of K-pop girl group NJZ, known as NewJeans, against Ador CEO Kim Joo-young, was dismissed by labor authorities, marking the latest in a series of similar cases ending with no charges.

According to a report by Chosunbiz on Monday, the Seoul regional office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor recently concluded its investigation, finding no evidence of workplace harassment.

Authorities said that the evidence provided by the complainant was insufficient to confirm any wrongdoing, leading to an administrative closure of the case, the report said, citing industry sources.

The manager filed the complaint in December, claiming that Ador lured him into a meeting under the guise of a work discussion, then illegally confined him for three hours and demanded that he surrender his personal phone.

This, the manager alleged, constituted workplace harassment. The complaint was filed against Kim following an internal audit conducted by Ador after the manager directly contacted advertisers without involving the company, which Ador viewed as a breach of contract and misconduct.

The members of NJZ also expressed concern at the time, saying that they had witnessed managers and performance directors crying after having their laptops confiscated and being subjected to surprise interrogations by Ador and its parent company, HYBE.

In response, Ador said that the manager contacted advertisers directly, bypassing the company and violating the artists' exclusive contracts. The company said it placed the employee on standby, requested the return of a company-owned laptop and denied any illegal confinement or coercion, adding that the employee refused multiple opportunities to explain their actions.

NewJeans, after announcing the termination of its contract with agency Ador, changed its team name to NJZ earlier this month.

All three complaints dismissed

The labor ministry's ruling aligns with Ador's position that no coercive behavior occurred during the incident.

This is the third workplace harassment complaint involving Ador and HYBE dismissed by authorities. In a separate case, the former Ador deputy CEO, whom HYBE accused of conspiring with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, filed a complaint against five HYBE executives, alleging workplace harassment.

However, authorities found no evidence of coercion after a thorough investigation, closing the case without charges.

The complaint was believed to have been filed under Min's instructions to obstruct HYBE's reinvestigation into allegations of sexual harassment and harassment involving the former deputy CEO, reported by another former Ador employee.

Additionally, an NJZ fan filed a petition via the National Petition Portal requesting an investigation into alleged workplace harassment against NJZ member Hanni.

However, authorities dismissed the case, determining that Hanni did not meet the legal definition of an employee under the Labor Standards Act. They said that the nature of the management contract established a relationship of equal contractual parties rather than an employer-employee dynamic involving supervision or control.

Source: https://m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.amp.asp?newsIdx=392862

 

[Selfmate]

Labor Ministry finds NewJeans manager's workplace bullying claims unfounded

Labor Ministry dismisses allegations of misconduct stemming from NewJeans manager's complaint

The incident in which NewJeans manager A reported the company's representative Kim Joo-young to the authorities for workplace bullying has been concluded to be 'unfounded' after the investigation.

A was the person who contacted advertisers without including ADOR (a major agency of HYBE) after the independent termination of the contract for NewJeans at the end of November last year.

ADOR, which claims the contract is valid, viewed this as an act of misconduct at the time and conducted an audit on A. However, A reported this as workplace bullying and submitted a complaint against Kim to the Ministry of Employment and Labor in December.

A complaint refers to the act of citizens stating their circumstances to the state or public institutions and requesting them to take any action.

According to industry reports on the 24th, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor recently found no evidence in the investigation of the complaint filed by former ADOR employee A against Kim, and handled it as 'administrative closure (no charges)'. The crux is that it could not confirm workplace bullying solely based on the complainant's submitted documents.

A claimed in media interviews last December that ADOR lured him under the pretense of business discussions, illegally detained him for about three hours, and demanded the submission of his personal mobile phone, asserting that workplace bullying occurred, and reported Kim to the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding this matter.

Prior to this, NewJeans members also stated in a press release, "We witnessed managers who assist with schedules and the performance director being deprived of their laptops by ADOR and HYBE, being subjected to severe bullying, and crying while being unexpectedly confronted and investigated. We find such behavior towards the remaining staff members conducting the schedules very difficult to understand."

In response, ADOR stated, "An employee in charge of managing the artists (referring to A) contacted advertisers directly, bypassing the company, and urged a direct contract between the artist and the brand to be established. The manager himself admits to having made such communication. This constitutes serious misconduct aiding the violation of the artist's exclusive contract."

It added, "We had no choice but to place the employee on leave, and requested the return of the company asset, which is a laptop. There were no coercive acts, including illegal detention, during this process. The company made several requests for a meeting to provide the manager an opportunity to explain, but the employee refused all of them."

The Ministry of Employment and Labor's investigation results effectively support ADOR's claim that 'there were no coercive acts.'

◇ All three claims of 'workplace bullying' found 'unfounded'

In addition to this case, there were other claims made against ADOR through the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Former Deputy Representative L, who is considered a co-conspirator of former ADOR representative Min Hee-jin by HYBE, also reported that he was subjected to workplace bullying by HYBE executives, but this was also closed administratively.

Former Deputy Representative L reported five HYBE executives for workplace bullying, stating that HYBE conducted illegal audits to coercively collect information assets last September. The authorities concluded this case as unfounded after carefully investigating the claims of both sides.

It was interpreted that former Deputy Representative L's report was made under the direction of former representative Min to obstruct HYBE's re-investigation concerning sexual harassment and bullying claims raised by ADOR retiree B against L.

A complaint filed by someone claiming to be a NewJeans fan to investigate Hanni's workplace bullying was also concluded. The authorities found it difficult to determine Hanni as an employee under the Labor Standards Act, considering the nature of the management as merely a relationship where each party fulfills their contractual obligations as equal contracting parties, making it hard to view the company's supervision and guidance as existent.

Source: https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2025/02/24/FUCG2WI4Y5FNTCSUGOEBGDTLBA/

 

[Selfmate]

NJZ logos filed in trademark application to Korea's Intellectual Property Office

A trademark application has been filed for NJZ, the name that girl group NewJeans claims to have switched to, to the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

Two NJZ logos were found on the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service's (Kipris) website on Thursday. The application was filed on Feb. 14 and related files were submitted on Feb. 23, according to a website entry.

The patent has not been registered yet, which means that it could be turned down by the patent office.

According to the website entry, the application was filed by Lee Dong-uk in Sasang District, Busan.

Law firm Shin & Kim, the legal representation of the five NewJeans members, did not clarify who filed the patent to the Korea JoongAng Daily.

The five singers announced the new name of the group, NJZ, on Feb. 7 through the organizer of Hong Kong's ComplexCon festival.

ADOR, the agency of girl group NewJeans, has been asking reporters to keep using the name NewJeans instead of NJZ.

Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...o-Koreas-Intellectual-Property-Office/2251740

 

[Selfmate]

K-pop industry groups back agencies, stress contract validity amid NJZ dispute

Fan community urges fair representation of stakeholders
By Pyo Kyung-min

As tensions between NJZ, formerly NewJeans, and its agency Ador continue to drag on, five major organizations from the Korean music industry have doubled down on their stance regarding "tampering" attempts and the importance of exclusive contracts.

The Korea Management Federation, the Korea Entertainment Producer's Association, the Record Label Industry Association of Korea, the Recording Industry Association of Korea and the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) gathered at a hotel in Seoul's Seocho District on Thursday to discuss various industry issues that have emerged in the wake of the NJZ dispute.

Their stance largely reiterated the perspective of record labels and entertainment agencies, aligning with their previously released statement from Feb. 19.

KMCA Secretary General Steve Choi stressed the importance of maintaining trust between agencies and artists in his keynote speech.

"Our industry thrives on promises. If promises are kept, we can build a sustainable industry," he said.

Choi introduced the guiding principle of "3ECT" — Connect, Respect and Protect — as an ethical framework for the industry.

He warned that the value of exclusive contracts is being threatened, citing cases where external parties, including rival agencies and powerful financial backers, allegedly encourage artists to break ties with their management. He also pointed to fans advocating for artists to leave their agencies, further weakening the position of entertainment companies.

"The common perception that agencies hold all the power is a misconception," Choi claimed, adding that up-and-coming agencies often fear that the success of an artist might lead to unilateral contract terminations.

The discussion then shifted to directly mentioning NJZ's fight with Ador under HYBE Labels over allegations of workplace harassment and the termination of their exclusive contract.

Addressing claims by NJZ member Hanni that she had been mistreated by a manager from Belift Lab, another HYBE subsidiary, Choi stated, "We don't know the full truth behind this case, nor do we wish to take sides."

However, his subsequent remarks were seemingly in favor of the accused agency.

"There's a saying, 'Fame grants innocence, obscurity brings guilt,'" Choi said. "If we are to listen to the famous artist's perspective, shouldn't we also hear out the lesser-known manager's side?"

Choi also emphasized that while conflicts are inevitable in any given industry, adhering to preestablished legal agreements is the sole way to resolve disputes.

"The National Assembly and the government must work toward fair policy improvements and in cases of conflict, legal processes must be respected," he said. "No one should be able to unilaterally terminate a contract before a legal ruling is made. Accepting judicial decisions is the only way to protect the industry."

Despite Choi's repeated comments of neutrality during the event, the timing of the statement and press conference — just ahead of NJZ's scheduled court hearing on March 7 regarding their contract termination with Ador — led to perceptions that the event directly targeted NJZ.

During the panel discussion, F&F Entertainment CEO Choi Jae-woo expressed concerns over biases in policymaking.

"While contracts may define parties as 'superior' and 'subordinate,' I have never felt like I was in a superior position. Instead of arguing over hierarchies, we should focus on fostering an industry based on mutual respect."

Lee Nam-kyung, secretary general of the Korea Entertainment Management Association, highlighted concerns over exclusive contracts in the entertainment industry.

"These contracts initially placed all responsibilities on agencies. However, the relationship between artists and agencies should now be seen as a partnership rather than a hierarchical one. We need contracts that reflect this shift."

Notably absent from the discussion were the perspectives of artists and their fan communities.

Following the Feb. 19 statement from the industry groups, NJZ's parents took to social media to express their stance, highlighting its one-sided nature.

Seemingly aware of the lopsided narrative, NJZ's fan group, Team Bunnies, released a statement Thursday, urging the organizations to halt what they describe as "a biased PR campaign."

"The organizations claim they are not taking sides in specific disputes, yet they only represent the views of HYBE and Ador," the statement read. "They say that public opinion battles should be avoided, yet they released a statement and held a press conference right before a court hearing. This is nothing more than a proxy PR campaign for a particular agency."

The fan group also accused the organizations of selectively advocating for entertainment companies rather than the entire K-pop industry. They argued that the ongoing dispute is not about tampering but about a parent company’s unreasonable contract violations against its subsidiary.

They called on the associations to represent all stakeholders and mediate the situation fairly instead of aggravating the conflict.

Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2025/02/398_393152.html

 

[Selfmate]

K-pop giants beg public not to villainize agencies, NewJeans fans accuse them of taking HYBE's side

Despite what fans might think, K-pop agencies aren’t always the villains, says an alliance of K-pop agencies. Seeing them as such and condoning artists breaking their contracts — as in the case of girl group NewJeans and its agency ADOR — will break the K-pop industry from the inside, the coalition said in its plea to the public on Thursday in southern Seoul.

The country's five largest pop music organizations — the Korea Management Federation (KMF), the Korea Entertainment Producers' Association (KEPA), the Record Label Industry Association of Korea (LIAK), the Recording Industry Association of Korea (RIAK) and the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) — held a rare joint press conference to address the growth of the so-called tampering issue in light of the conflict taking place between the members of NewJeans, ADOR and the agency’s parent company HYBE.

Tampering refers to the act of signing with a different agency while still under contract with another agency. The issue surfaced in 2023 when the former members of girl group Fifty Fifty tried to sue their own agency Attrakt so that they could break off their contracts and sign with a new company.

K-pop organizations had previously warned that should the NewJeans members walk away from ADOR and sign with a different agency, the action could be seen as the result of tampering. The members, who are now calling themselves NJZ, are reportedly in talks with BANA Entertainment. The company has refused to confirm the news.

“The issue of tampering is not something restricted to a few major agencies, but it is spreading across the industry like a plague, even to the indie music scene,” Steve Choi, secretary general of KMCA, said.


“This industry is built on the mutual trust between agencies and artists. The standard exclusive contracts bind us like a team in a sports game, not in the employer-employee relationship that people mistake us for. But that connection is being threatened by companies, producers, investors and even fans that convince artists it’s fine to break a contract.”

According to Choi Jae-woo, CEO of F&F Entertainment, it costs at least 1 billion won ($693,000) and up to 10 billion won to create one K-pop idol group. Agencies can only start paying their artists after they pay off the debt and the investors, but if artists break their contracts and sign with a different agency before turning a profit, the agency and its staff are left with no means of making income, the CEO says.

“An agency is the entity that takes all the risk when debuting a new idol group,” he said. “We start by insuring, feeding and training the artists and take care of marketing, promoting and producing their music. We are not in a boss-subordinate relationship. We are two equal partners that get through a business, but the prejudice against the agencies makes it difficult for us to continue our businesses.”

The conference came a week after a statement released last week by the five organizations, which accused the NewJeans members and their producer Min Hee-jin for overturning the very foundations of the K-pop industry.

hursday’s speakers emphasized that the statement was not specifically directed at NewJeans, but at the growing trend in K-pop as a whole where artists opt to leave their agencies for other companies, discouraging the whole investor sentiment of the industry.

Bunnies, the official fan club of NewJeans, still criticized the organizations for “fighting on behalf of HYBE” ahead of the court hearing set to take place next month.

“The HYBE-ADOR incident is the result of a parent company’s nonsensical violation of contract with its subsidiary, not tampering,” the fan club said in a statement.

“HYBE abused its position as a major shareholder of its subsidiary, thereby interfering with the independence and diversity of its labels. It also violated the rights of producers, creators and artists and continues to disrupt the sustainability of K-pop. None of this would have happened if HYBE had not violated the contract.”

“If the five organizations, including the KMF, truly care about the sustainability of K-pop, then they should not be taking the side of HYBE and ADOR, even before a court ruling, but should start by addressing the real ails of the industry, including the power abuse of agencies and agencies colluding with entertainment media to attack artists,” added the statement.

The NewJeans members are set for two court hearings, one on March 7 regarding an injunction ADOR filed to prevent the five singers from signing independent commercial contracts, and one on April 3 regarding whether the contract between the two parties had been terminated legally.

The five singers are legally represented by Shin & Kim, the law firm that also represents Min. Details about the members' new agency remain undisclosed, but the members said they were “also getting a new agent soon” in an Instagram livestream on Feb. 7.

Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...fans-accuse-them-of-taking-HYBEs-side/2251690

 

[Selfmate]

Fan union representing Korean fans of NJZ condemns music industry associations for siding with HYBE + calls out the past crimes of association members

The fan union representing Korean fans of NJZ, known as Team Bunnies, has released a statement to condemn the press conference held on February 27 KST by five popular music industry associations, including the Korea Management Federation (KMF), the Korea Entertainment Producer's Association (KEPA), the Record Label Industry Association of Korea (LIAK), the Recording Industry Association of Korea (RIAK), and the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA).

Notably, the statement released by Team Bunnies questioned the "qualifications" of those currently presiding over the above associations, pointing out past controversies allegedly involving leading members.

According to Team Bunnies,

"There are executive members of the above associations who were previously indicted and received sentences for committing child abuse against label artists and trainees. Other members received warnings from the Fair Trade Commission for interfering in the broadcast activities of artists whose rights to a legal termination of their exclusive contracts were fairly acknowledged in court. Furthermore, some members were found guilty of a price-fixing scheme involving digital sales, while others were involved in vote rigging and broadcast manipulation. In another well-known legal case, members of the above associations were received sentences for embezzling 18.2 billion KRW in music royalties from copyright holders. Numerous such individuals directly or indirectly affiliated with these serious criminal acts are currently active as members of the above associations.
On the hidden side of the brilliant industry that is K-Pop, there are many problems associated with the poor treatment of trainees, violations of artists' rights, advanced purchasing of albums by record labels which hinders fair competition, extreme competition on charts, infringement of fans' and consumers' rights, etc. We would like to ask if the very individuals who are responsible for these problems and who refuse to act upon them, and who often remain silent when it comes to the wrongdoings of K-Pop agencies, are qualified to criticize specific artists and raise accusations of 'threats to the industry'."

Additionally, the statement by Team Bunnies called out the five associations for the joint statement issued on February 19 KST, making policy suggestions to "eradicate tampering in the popular music industry" while directly referring to the "NewJeans case".



Team Bunnies claimed, "The associations insisted that they did not intend to take sides in any specific cases; however, their claims then proceeded to side with HYBE and ADOR." The statement also condemned the five associations for "engaging in media play intended to be favorable only for the label and disadvantageous for the artists," instead demanding a "fair judgement of the situation after hearing the arguments of both sides".



Source: https://www.allkpop.com/article/202...ls-out-the-past-crimes-of-association-members

 

[RandAlThor]

Former NJZ manager's workplace harassment claim vs. Ador dismissed again

By KTimes
The workplace harassment complaint of a former manager of K-pop girl group NJZ, known as NewJeans, against Ador CEO Kim Joo-young, was dismissed by labor authorities, marking the latest in a series of similar cases ending with no charges.

According to a report by Chosunbiz on Monday, the Seoul regional office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor recently concluded its investigation, finding no evidence of workplace harassment.

Authorities said that the evidence provided by the complainant was insufficient to confirm any wrongdoing, leading to an administrative closure of the case, the report said, citing industry sources.

The manager filed the complaint in December, claiming that Ador lured him into a meeting under the guise of a work discussion, then illegally confined him for three hours and demanded that he surrender his personal phone.

This, the manager alleged, constituted workplace harassment. The complaint was filed against Kim following an internal audit conducted by Ador after the manager directly contacted advertisers without involving the company, which Ador viewed as a breach of contract and misconduct.

The members of NJZ also expressed concern at the time, saying that they had witnessed managers and performance directors crying after having their laptops confiscated and being subjected to surprise interrogations by Ador and its parent company, HYBE.

In response, Ador said that the manager contacted advertisers directly, bypassing the company and violating the artists' exclusive contracts. The company said it placed the employee on standby, requested the return of a company-owned laptop and denied any illegal confinement or coercion, adding that the employee refused multiple opportunities to explain their actions.

NewJeans, after announcing the termination of its contract with agency Ador, changed its team name to NJZ earlier this month.

All three complaints dismissed

The labor ministry's ruling aligns with Ador's position that no coercive behavior occurred during the incident.

This is the third workplace harassment complaint involving Ador and HYBE dismissed by authorities. In a separate case, the former Ador deputy CEO, whom HYBE accused of conspiring with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, filed a complaint against five HYBE executives, alleging workplace harassment.

However, authorities found no evidence of coercion after a thorough investigation, closing the case without charges.

The complaint was believed to have been filed under Min's instructions to obstruct HYBE's reinvestigation into allegations of sexual harassment and harassment involving the former deputy CEO, reported by another former Ador employee.

Additionally, an NJZ fan filed a petition via the National Petition Portal requesting an investigation into alleged workplace harassment against NJZ member Hanni.

However, authorities dismissed the case, determining that Hanni did not meet the legal definition of an employee under the Labor Standards Act. They said that the nature of the management contract established a relationship of equal contractual parties rather than an employer-employee dynamic involving supervision or control.

Source: https://m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.amp.asp?newsIdx=392862

sooo they loose again.

 

[RandAlThor]

somehow i missed one of the updates and got well behind. this thread.

To my knowledge the girls and mjh have yet to win other than that very first ruling that said that Ador needed to have a regular board meeting to fire mjh.

 

[centen]

somehow i missed one of the updates and got well behind. this thread.

To my knowledge the girls and mjh have yet to win other than that very first ruling that said that Ador needed to have a regular board meeting to fire mjh.

Which isn't really a win so much as "follow the standard protocol."

I get that people really liked their music but "makes good music" does not necessarily mean "is fairly and accurately representing a dispute in which they are totally 100% the victim." Even beloved celebrities can make bad decisions (or be bad people, ask UK about Jimmy Savile).