NewJeans members respond to reporters' questions as they leave the Seoul Central District Court, March 7, 2025. - Photo: Yonhap
SEOUL: NewJeans will go ahead with their scheduled performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong this Sunday (March 23) under the management of Ador, following a court ruling that temporarily bars the girl group from pursuing independent activities under the new name, NJZ.
The group originally planned to perform without Ador after unilaterally terminating their exclusive contract with the agency in November.
However, following Friday’s injunction decision in favour of Ador, NewJeans confirmed Friday that they would participate in the event under Ador’s guidance.
“After much deliberation, we have decided to participate in the upcoming ComplexCon scheduled for March 23. This decision was made out of respect for our fans and all stakeholders involved, in order to prevent unnecessary disruption or harm to those who have been looking forward to the performance,” the group wrote on its njz_pr Instagram account.
Ador also confirmed NewJeans’ appearance in a press statement released shortly after the court’s decision, stating, “We plan to provide full on-site support to ensure that this weekend’s ComplexCon performance proceeds under the name of NewJeans, an artist under Ador.”
The Seoul Central District Court, Friday, granted Ador’s request for an injunction, temporarily barring the five members of NewJeans from engaging in promotional or advertising activities without the agency’s involvement.
The court ruled that NewJeans had failed to prove sufficiently that their exclusive contract with Ador had reached a level of irreparable breakdown.
Member Hanni answers to a reporter's question during a press conference held on Nov. 28, 2024 in Seoul, where the band announced a unilateral termination of their exclusive contract with Ador. - Photo: Newsis
NewJeans to appeal court decision
Despite agreeing to perform under Ador for now, the group said it would formally challenge the court’s decision.
“We plan to challenge today’s decision through the objection procedure, during which we will raise additional legal issues and submit further supporting evidence,” NewJeans said on their njz_pr Instagram account.
The group stated that while it respects the court’s ruling, it believes the decision did not fully reflect the extent of the broken trust the members have experienced toward Ador.
“Due to the urgent nature of injunction proceedings, the decision was issued approximately two weeks after the March 7 hearing. As such, we did not have sufficient opportunity to fully present the factual background to the court,” the group said.
They emphasised that the injunction is only a provisional measure, and that a separate main lawsuit over the validity of their contract termination is ongoing, with a court hearing scheduled for April 3.
“Unlike injunction proceedings, the main lawsuit allows us to freely utilize civil procedure tools to collect necessary evidence,” the group added.
Ador, in response to the ruling, said in a statement, “We are deeply grateful for the court’s wise decision. As the legally confirmed management agency of NewJeans, Ador will continue to fulfill its responsibilities in supporting the artists moving forward.” - The Korea Herald/ANN
