Okay-pop woman group NewJeans throughout their efficiency on the Tokyo Dome in Japan in June 2024. (courtesy of ADOR)
Final week, the Seoul Central District Courtroom dominated in favor of ADOR within the label’s lawsuit towards Okay-pop woman group NewJeans, discovering the unique contract the 2 events signed in 2022 to be legitimate. That is the primary trial ruling in favor of ADOR after two earlier injunctions that the courtroom granted the label. The choice signifies that NewJeans should honor their unique contract with ADOR till it terminates in 2029. The group has said that it’s going to instantly attraction the ruling.
The identical courtroom beforehand issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting NewJeans from impartial actions with out ADOR’s consent till the primary trial ruling on the case, imposing a 1 billion received penalty (US$700,000) for every exercise the group participated in. After two failed makes an attempt at mediation, many now consider that they’ve reached the purpose of no return.
This ruling will undoubtedly stifle the woman group’s future actions. NewJeans declared that its belief within the label has been “damaged,” refusing to return to the company and stating that it could file an attraction. With the group displaying no indicators of backing down in its battle to chop ties with its label, there’s little hope for an finish to its hiatus anytime quickly.
The typical Okay-pop idol group stays within the highlight for round seven years, making hiatuses profession suicide. This has given rise to a phenomenon during which sure teams are “tucked away” by their label to intentionally halt their actions. Constant public appearances and new work are synonymous with longevity for Okay-pop idol teams. With NewJeans dropping each the earlier injunction resolution and now this decrease courtroom ruling, public sentiment has turned on the group, with many accusing the members of unreasonably desirous to terminate their contract.
What have Hybe and ADOR gained from this verdict? Because it seems, not a lot. The numbers already present how essential NewJeans’ absence has been to the corporate. After NewJeans made its debut in July 2022, ADOR reached document gross sales of 110.3 billion received in 2023 and 111.1 billion received in 2024. As soon as NewJeans went on hiatus, ADOR’s gross sales plummeted. Its income within the first half of 2025 was 17.2 billion received, a 72% drop from the identical time period in 2024 (61.4 billion received).
The truth that this consequence is a results of the injunction towards actions filed by ADOR makes it tough to name this a victory for the corporate. “It’s most likely extra sensible for the corporate to barter a buyout when NewJeans nonetheless has important market worth,” one music business insider opined.
In its assertion after the ruling on Thursday, ADOR mentioned, “We’ve accomplished preparations for the artist’s actions, together with the discharge of a studio album, and are ready. We are going to do our utmost to return to the followers by means of discussions with the artist.” That being mentioned, it’s inconceivable for the artists to carry out after they refuse to return to the label.
The losses aren’t merely monetary. NewJeans, the crown jewel of Hybe, turned the face of Okay-pop after securing numerous collaborations with world manufacturers a mere two years after its debut. Because the authorized go well with dragged on, it took a hefty toll on Hybe’s fame and label worth.
The leak of inner business commerce experiences containing harsh feedback on the bodily look of Okay-pop idol group members and allegations of collusion in misleading schemes towards Hybe CEO Bang Si-hyuk, although separate from the authorized dispute, prompted many followers to activate the corporate, leaving it with a tarnished fame.
“Whereas Hybe might have received the authorized dispute, its fame and the worth of the label as a model have already suffered fairly harshly,” commented cultural critic Kim Hern-sik. “It’s extremely doubtless that nobody will really profit from this battle. In the long term, the pressure is on the fame of the Okay-pop business as an entire.”
By Lee Jung-gook, employees reporter
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