The legal dispute between NJZ (NewJeans) and their management agency, ADOR, has left the group unable to perform, promote, or participate in any entertainment activities while the court evaluates the validity of their contracts. In a rare show of public support, 32 intellectuals, politicians, and cultural figures submitted a petition urging the court and government to reconsider the ban.
Prominent Supporters Advocate for Artist Rights
The petition draws backing from notable figures including:
- National Assembly member Son Hye-won
- Catholic University professor Sung Ki-sun
- Former Reform New Party council member Cho Dae-won
- Former ambassador to Vietnam Kim Do-hyun
- Byun Hee-jae, CEO of Mediawatch
These leaders highlighted systemic issues in South Korea’s entertainment industry, emphasizing the lack of mechanisms that protect artists compared to systems in the United States.
Petition Highlights Inequalities in Korean Artist Contracts
The petition criticized South Korea’s standard entertainment contracts and the lack of public agencies to protect artists:
“Unlike the United States, an advanced nation in the entertainment industry, South Korea lacks a ‘public agency’ system to protect the legal interests of entertainers. Moreover, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s standard contract ties an artist’s entire livelihood to a single agency for up to seven years while placing all obligations on the entertainer.”
It also emphasized the financial imbalance in NJZ’s case. Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, founded ADOR with ₩16 billion KRW (about $11.1 million USD) in October 2021. Following NJZ’s debut in July 2022, HYBE earned nearly four times that amount in operating profit, while the members remained bound by restrictive contracts.
“In a case like this, if it were in the United States, certified agencies would allow artists to secure free-agent status or renegotiate contracts.”
A Call for a Balanced, Solomon-Like Resolution
The petition urged the court to deliver a fair resolution, referencing the 1996 Lim Sun-dong baseball case, where a similar dispute was resolved with a balanced compromise. Signatories encouraged the adoption of an American-style certified agency system to prevent future conflicts:
“We ask that the government step in at the national level and, through broad social consensus and mediation, prevent a situation in which the members’ desired activities are fundamentally banned due to one court decision rooted in an incorrect standard contract…Serious consideration should be given to adopting an American-style certified agency system to resolve frequent contract disputes in Korea.”
The statement was sent to senior government officials, including Woo Sang-ho, Lee Dong-yeon, and Choi Hwi-young, as well as the Seoul Central District Court, Civil Division 41, which is handling the case.
The final ruling regarding NJZ’s contract with ADOR is scheduled for October 30. The decision will determine whether NJZ members can resume entertainment activities or remain restricted under the current injunction. Fans and industry observers alike are watching closely, hoping for a fair outcome that protects artists’ rights.
Sources: Koreaboo
You must be logged in to post a comment.