"Legal penalties for their criminal actions"—ADOR shares progress in legal cases against those spreading defamatory content about NewJeans

On December 27, 2024, ADOR, the agency behind the K-pop group NewJeans, released an official statement on Weverse. The label announced that several individuals involved in malicious activities against the group have faced legal penalties. These include fines imposed by the Supreme Court for fabricating and distributing manipulated images of the members, as well as fines for defamatory comments.

The agency confirmed that investigations and legal proceedings are underway against others who anonymously posted harmful content.

"Hello. This is ADOR. Our company regularly initiates legal proceedings against perpetrators of malicious activities targeting NewJeans, including defamation, personal attacks, sexual harassment, the dissemination of false information, and ill-intentioned criticism," the notice by the label read.

"As a result of our previous efforts, several perpetrators have faced legal penalties for their criminal actions. The Supreme Court has finalized a fine of several million won against individuals who fabricated, distributed and/or sold explicit photos by manipulating the artists' images. Additionally, multiple fines have been imposed on individuals responsible for heinous and defamatory comments."

This announcement comes amidst ongoing disputes between NewJeans and ADOR, with the group terminating its contract with the agency on November 29, 2024.

---

More about the ongoing contract dispute between ADOR and NewJeans

All five group members, Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, previously cited contract violations by ADOR as the reason to terminate their contract. They stated that the termination followed repeated and unresolved requests for rectification.

According to the KBS news report on December 5, ADOR contested the termination, asserting that the exclusive contracts remain valid until July 2029. ADOR has taken legal steps to confirm this stance.

"We did not want the issues with our artist (NewJeans) to be resolved through legal judgment. However, we determined it was necessary to make clear to both the artist and other stakeholders that the exclusive contract between the company and the artist cannot be unilaterally terminated based on a single party’s claims, leading us to make this unavoidable decision,” the label said.

While the internal conflict unfolds, ADOR has maintained its efforts to protect the group's rights. The label has also filed complaints against the one responsible for malicious posts, including false information and s*xual harassment, both domestically and internationally.

It further reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward any actions infringing on the rights of its artists and emphasized its commitment to taking legal action against offenders.

Despite the ongoing legal battle with ADOR, the members of NewJeans have stated their intention to move forward independently, expressing a desire to safeguard their creative identity.

The group members have also clarified that they decided to terminate the contract independently of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, although speculation persists about her potential involvement.

---

As legal proceedings continue, industry experts suggest that the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the K-pop industry, potentially altering the dynamics between artists and agencies.

Meanwhile, NewJeans has reassured fans of their dedication to producing music and maintaining commitments made before the contract termination.