K-Pop group NewJeans split from agency in mistreatment row
Number one K-pop band NewJeans said they were leaving the company after accusing the company of “abuse” and “manipulation.”
The five-piece girl band announced its exit from Ador, a subsidiary of power brand Hybe, at a late-night press conference on Thursday.
Ador, however, said its contract with NewJeans remains valid because the agency has not violated any terms.
The dispute is the latest development in a long-running conflict between former NewJeans producer Min Hee-Jin and Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk, which has made headlines in South Korea.
One of the group’s members, Hanni, claimed She suffered workplace harassment When using tags.
“This is not a professional ethic we respect, nor one we want to be a part of, and continuing to work for a company that has no intention of protecting NewJeans will only do us a disservice,” Haney said.
She added that the organization had faced “abuse, not just against us but also against our staff” and said it had experienced “deliberate miscommunication and manipulation in multiple areas”.
Ador insisted that its contract with NewJeans remained valid as it had not breached its duties and asked the organization to “continue its activities with the agency”.
“Unilateral assertions that trust has been breached do not constitute valid grounds for terminating a contract,” Adol said in a statement following the group’s announcement.
“We regret that the press conference regarding the termination was held without adequate consideration and even before we had responded to the demand letter,” the agency said.
NewJeans said they hope to cooperate with Min. Min, the band’s former frontman, left Ador in August after being accused of planning to break up with Hybe and take NewJeans with her.
This will make NewJeans and Ador independent of Hybe. Min has denied the accusations against her.
she has Previously accused Hybe Launched another girl group, Illit, imitating NewJeans’ music and appearance.
On November 13, NewJeans submitted a legal notice to Ador, giving the company 14 days to address the breach of its exclusive contract.
They said their contracts would be terminated if their demands were not met.
The group has demanded an apology from the company over comments made by an executive at another Hybe subsidiary, Belift Lab, and accused the company of workplace bullying. They also demanded Min’s immediate reinstatement.
They added that they would honor their contractual obligations, but warned fans at the meeting that they might not be able to use the band’s name after the contract ends.
Prior to NewJeans’ announcement, the band signed a seven-year contract that expires in 2029.
The contract contains a clause providing that the parties may unilaterally terminate the contract if the other party breaches its obligations. However, since both parties disagree, the matter is likely to go to court. In this case, a judge will decide whether the contract can be terminated and whether one party owes the other party any damages.
In October, K-pop news site Koreaboo estimated that the members would have to Pay approximately 300 billion won (approximately £170 million) early termination of the contract.
But frontman Harlin said it “makes no sense” for the band to pay liquidated damages.
“We never broke any rules,” Herring said. “We did nothing but the best we could – they are the ones at fault. Heib and Adol are the ones responsible.”
Ador said it had not “breached” the terms of the contract, adding that it “kindly invites the group to continue working with Ador on upcoming events”.
“Despite repeated requests to meet with the artist, our efforts have been unsuccessful. We hope members are now willing to have an open, candid discussion,” it said, referring to NewJeans.
The organization has been embroiled in a year-long controversy, with audits and emotionally charged accusations making headlines in South Korea.
In October, a member of the group, 20-year-old Hanni, testified at a hearing before the Labor Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly. Workplace Harassment.
She claimed entertainment agency Hybe deliberately sabotaged her band and accused senior managers of deliberately ignoring her.
After experiencing several incidents, she said, “I realized it was more than just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us.”
Hybe shares were down about 3% in Friday morning trading in Seoul.
NewJeans debuted in 2022 and became one of Hybe’s most successful K-pop groups along with BTS.
With hits such as “Super Shy” and “OMG,” NewJeans became the eighth-best-selling band in the world last year and was nominated for Best Group at this year’s MTV Awards.
Founded in 2022 by Ador, its five members are Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, ranging in age from 16 to 20 years old.
