While the appeals court also upheld the decision to ban NewJeans' independent activities, ADOR reached out to the members.

On the 17th, the Seoul High Court's Civil Division 25-2 rejected the appeal regarding the 'provisional injunction to preserve agency status and prohibit advertising contracts' filed by the NewJeans members.

Earlier in March, the Seoul Central District Court granted a provisional injunction filed by ADOR against the five members of NewJeans, stating that the members could not engage in independent activities without ADOR's prior approval or consent.

In response, the members filed an objection, but that was also rejected. NewJeans immediately filed an appeal, expressing their intent to continue the legal battle; however, the appeals court also ruled in favor of ADOR, meaning that NewJeans' independent activities are impossible until the main lawsuit is concluded.

In particular, after the court's decision in March, the members of NewJeans declared a suspension of activities during the Hong Kong ComplexCon, and it is reported that staff from ADOR, who visited the site to prepare for NewJeans' concert at that time, did not meet them.

Ultimately, after the provisional injunction was granted, ADOR applied for indirect enforcement against the members of NewJeans, who conducted the Hong Kong ComplexCon without ADOR staff. The court accepted this, indicating that if NewJeans continued to engage in entertainment activities independently without ADOR's prior approval or consent, they would have to pay 1 billion won to ADOR for each violation. Since it is 1 billion won each, if NewJeans proceeds with independent activities, a total payment of 5 billion won will be required to ADOR.

Despite these circumstances, the members expressed that they have no intention of returning to ADOR. On the 5th, during the second trial of the lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract, the court inquired about the willingness of both sides to reach an agreement, but NewJeans' side stated, "We need to discuss it with our client, but the trust relationship has already been broken. We have crossed the river that we cannot return to."

However, after the appeals court decision, ADOR released an official statement on the 18th, stating, "Yesterday, there was a decision from the appeals court confirming once again that ADOR is NewJeans' agency. We deeply appreciate the court's judgment."

They also stated, "We hope this decision will serve as an opportunity for the members to return to their original place as 'NewJeans' and resume activities. As NewJeans approaches their 3rd anniversary next month, the company plans to do its best to support them for greater leaps and growth," once again reaching out to the members.

[Photo] OSEN DB

[OSEN]