The group NewJeans's independent activities have effectively become impossible. The court dismissed the injunction appeal filed by the members, leaving NewJeans at a complex crossroads where they cannot easily move forward.
On the 17th, the Seoul High Court's Civil Division 25-2 (Directors General Hwang Byeong-ha, Jeong Jong-kwan, and Lee Gyun-yong) dismissed the injunction appeal filed by the NewJeans members. This was the result of the court accepting the injunction request filed by ADOR against five NewJeans members for preserving agency status and prohibiting the signing of advertising contracts.
At that time, the members filed an objection against the injunction request, but the court decided to dismiss it, and the members immediately appealed, continuing the legal battle. However, with this latest appeal being dismissed, NewJeans can no longer engage in independent activities without prior approval or consent from ADOR.
Moreover, the court also upheld ADOR's additional request for indirect coercion. Accordingly, if NewJeans continues its entertainment activities secretly from ADOR, it will incur a penalty of 1 billion won for each violation. If all members engage in independent activities, the structure generates a maximum liability of 5 billion won in damages. Legally and financially, independent activities have become practically impossible.
Nevertheless, NewJeans has not shown any intention of returning. During the hearing for the validity confirmation lawsuit of the exclusive contract on the 5th, the members' side clearly stated, 'The trust has already been shattered,' and 'We have crossed a river that cannot be returned.'
Meanwhile, NewJeans has completely suspended activities since their performance at ComplexCon held in Hong Kong in March. Immediately after the performance, they officially stated, 'It seems this stage will be our last performance for the time being. We have decided to respect the court's decision and stop our activities,' effectively announcing a temporary halt to independent activities.
The fact that they have operated without any contact from ADOR since then suggests that the conflict has deepened. The court currently recognizes ADOR's agency status until the first instance ruling on the ongoing exclusive contract validity confirmation lawsuit is issued, determining that the members' unilateral activities may be seen as a breach of contract.
As a result, many are paying attention to NewJeans's future moves. The direction of future activities is likely to be determined by the outcome of the exclusive contract invalidation lawsuit, but the timing of that is still uncertain. In a situation where they 'cannot leave or return,' NewJeans's next step remains shrouded in fog.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]