
NewJeans Addresses Court Ruling on Independent Activities Penalty: “A Temporary Decision”
On May 30, NewJeans announced their response to a recent legal ruling, where the court mandated each member to pay 1 billion KRW (around $730,000) to their agency ADOR for every instance of unauthorized entertainment activities. This decision is linked to a previous injunction issued on March 21, which barred the group from pursuing independent projects without prior approval.
In a detailed official statement, NewJeans clarified that the court’s ruling on indirect compulsory enforcement wasn’t a part of their ongoing appeal related to the initial injunction. They emphasized this point, stating, > “The indirect compulsory decision announced today was made in response to an application submitted by ADOR on April 4. It is not directly tied to the appeal of the original injunction, which is still under separate legal review.”
They also mentioned that this latest ruling is only temporary, remaining in effect until their appeal is resolved. They explained, > “If the NewJeans members win the injunction appeal, both the original and the related indirect enforcement rulings will lose their legal effect. In practice, indirect enforcement is typically issued in conjunction with an injunction ruling.”
The Seoul Central District Court’s 52nd Civil Division sided with ADOR earlier that day in the case, concluding that NewJeans breached the injunction by participating in activities such as international performances and music releases under a different name, NJZ. The court acknowledged the possibility of further violations, determining that a single unauthorized activity could lead to cumulative penalties totaling 5 billion KRW (about $3.65 million) for all five members.
Amid this ongoing legal battle, discussions regarding the validity of the exclusive contract between NewJeans and ADOR are set to progress. During the first hearing last month, NewJeans‘ legal team made it clear they were not interested in settling, while representatives from ADOR expressed a willingness to negotiate. The next hearing is planned for June 5, keeping both parties engaged in this complex dispute.