NewJeans urged to apologize before comeback over contract dispute comments
NewJeans has been urged to apologize before attempting a comeback, Sports Seoul reporter Lee Seung Rok argued in an opinion piece published on July 26.
The column noted NewJeans released a special video to mark their fourth debut anniversary and appears to be preparing for a return. But Lee wrote the most important thing missing from that return was not former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, but “a sincere apology to the public and those affected by the group’s actions during its ongoing contract dispute.”
Lee argued the group’s rise to global fame was built with support from ADOR, HYBE, and the wider K-Pop industry, and criticized certain member remarks for undermining that system while the group continued to benefit from it.
The column referenced NewJeans’ interview with TIME, where the members said they never expected the problems within the K-Pop industry to change overnight and suggested it felt like Korea wanted to make them “revolutionaries.”
NewJeans for TIME said:
This may be the current reality of Korea. But that’s why we believe change and growth are necessary. It feels like Korea is trying to turn us into revolutionaries.
— NewJeans for TIME
According to the reporter, the group has not publicly addressed those TIME comments or explained them even as legal proceedings continue.
Sports Seoul wrote:
In doing so, they effectively condemned not only the country but the K-pop system as a whole.
— Sports Seoul
The piece said other artists were hurt during the dispute. It pointed to Hanni’s appearance at the National Assembly over her workplace harassment allegations and said public attention around that case led to other idols becoming targets of criticism.
Lee also criticized the members for remaining silent when Min Hee Jin mentioned other groups during the dispute, saying they did not express regret despite those acts being fellow HYBE labelmates.
The column argued ADOR and HYBE employees were overlooked in the conflict. It cited member remarks made when they announced they were leaving ADOR, including questions about whether HYBE truly cared about NewJeans and comments describing the company as inhumane.
The reporter wrote those remarks also affected staff who worked behind the scenes for the group’s success.
Sports Seoul wrote:
Having received no apology from the members, those staff members are now expected to quietly devote themselves to NewJeans once again. It is difficult to imagine the sense of disappointment and frustration they must feel.
— Sports Seoul
Finally, the column said that after the court rulings, NewJeans is now expected to return to ADOR while relying on many of the same staff members for management and album production. It concluded the members should first apologize to the public and those they hurt before resuming activities.
