The fractious relationship between K-pop sensation NewJeans and their management agency, Ador, has reached boiling point, as the girl group prepares to take legal measures and hints at abandoning their current moniker in the wake of Ador's court injunction aimed at halting their activities.
On Thursday, the quintet revealed on their independently launched social media account Jeanzforfree, which they created last month, that they have enlisted the legal expertise of Shin & Kim, a law firm that also currently represents Ador's former CEO and NewJeans' producer, Min Hee-jin.
In December, Ador, a subsidiary of the country's leading music corporation HYBE, initiated legal proceedings to ascertain the validity of its exclusive contract with the group. Last week, it sought a court injunction to bar the members from signing independent commercial deals.
NewJeans revealed that they were only made aware of the lawsuit and injunction through media reports, prompting them to seek legal advice to counter Ador's actions. "To counteract the swiftly advancing temporary court order, we believe Shin & Kim, which is already familiar with the injustices and issues surrounding HYBE and Ador, is the most fitting choice," the members stated, accusing the agency and its parent company of neglecting their duty to safeguard their artists.
They continued, "Throughout our journey, we faced incessant hurdles, and they essentially deserted us, cloaking their intention to 'terminate our entertainment careers' in the euphemism of a 'long-term vacation'."
Claiming that their contract with the agency had been legally dissolved, NewJeans alleged that Ador has been harassing them and divulging their private information to the media and YouTubers. "Despite urging us to return, Ador and HYBE have consistently harassed and attacked us behind the scenes. Recently, they even secretly met with some of our parents, trying to persuade or sow discord among us," they asserted.
"We yearn for them to honestly and fairly clarify the truth, rather than denigrating us through sneaky tactics, attempting to divide us, and manipulating the media with false narratives," the members pleaded.
They emphasized that they had no intention of reuniting with Ador, stating that they had lost trust in the company. "We unequivocally declare that the five of us have absolutely no intention of returning to HYBE and Ador, where even minimal good faith is a distant dream. Even after terminating our contract, we sought to complete remaining schedules and contracts amicably, without disputes, hoping to spare all involved from harm. However, seeing Ador and HYBE refuse to cooperate and instead cause us and others harm through unethical means, we have resolved to no longer remain silent," they said.
"We will valiantly wage our battle in court to expose Ador and HYBE's wrongs and uncover the truth through legal proceedings... We will continue to confront this situation through legitimate means, with the aim of resuming our music-sharing endeavors freely as soon as possible," they vowed.
Following their post about their response to Ador's legal maneuvers, the group posted another message, requesting suggestions for a temporary new group name. "Bunnies!! (fandom name) We're hosting a two-day contest to find a new name (to use for our activities) for a while," they announced.
