All members of popular boy band NewJeans have filed a lawsuit to cancel their exclusive contract with their agency, ADOR. Lawyer Lee Ji Hoon of Law & More provided a detailed analysis of the complex legal case.

On December 6, Lee Ji Hoon exposed the case on his YouTube channel 'Korean Lawyer', through a video titled "NewJeans is Power | Power Player Kicking Away the Ladder." In the video, she explored the possible future repercussions for NewJeans and the impact on the group's image. She clarified, "If they continue their activities, they will no longer be able to use the name 'NewJeans.' The name belongs to ADOR under the terms of the contract, as do the copyrights, trademark, existing songs, and related intellectual property rights."

She added: "If NewJeans terminates their contract, they will have to abandon the name. They must remain consistent with this position. If they continue to use the name, they could be held liable for damages. However, it could also be interpreted as an attempt by NewJeans to regain the rights to the name through legal action. The ability to continue their entertainment activities depends on the specific terms of their contract, which should be reviewed to minimize risks."

Regarding NewJeans’ statement of terminating their contract, Lee Ji Hoon commented, “It’s hard to say that the contract has been officially terminated. The claim that their entertainment business was hindered is open to interpretation. If the six issues that NewJeans requested to be corrected through an official notice were considered ‘hindering entertainment business,’ I think that’s insufficient to justify terminating the contract. They’re presenting it as if the contract has already been terminated, but from a legal standpoint, I don’t think that’s the case.”

Attorney Lee also addressed NewJeans’ statement that they “have no intention of paying a penalty” for the termination. She countered, “But they will have to pay. If they have created a situation where a penalty has to be paid, simply saying ‘we have no intention of paying’ is not going to be socially or legally acceptable. They probably don’t want to pay a single cent, but I think they will have to. That will pose a legal risk to NewJeans.”

The conflict between NewJeans and ADOR became public on November 28, when the group held an emergency press conference, announcing their intention to end their exclusive contract with ADOR as of November 29. In response, ADOR released an official statement on December 5, revealing that they had filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Court on December 3 to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract with the members.

Since the announcement of the contract termination, the five members of NewJeans have resumed their public activities. On December 7, they appeared as guests at Yoasobi's concert at the Incheon Inspire Arena. Notably, when greeting each member, they introduced themselves individually using their personal names, rather than the usual greeting, "Hello, we are NewJeans."

The ongoing legal battle between NewJeans and ADOR has attracted considerable public interest, with fans and industry professionals alike keeping a close eye on developments. Whether the members will be able to reclaim the "NewJeans" name and continue their activities as a group remains to be seen, but with both parties firmly entrenched in their respective positions, the legal battle is set to be a long and complex one.