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Thirty-two prominent South Korean figures released a statement on October 22 opposing the ongoing ban on NewJeans' entertainment activities, marking a significant public show of support for the K-pop group ahead of a crucial court ruling scheduled for October 30.
The coalition includes former National Assembly member Song Hye-won, Catholic University education professor Song Ki-seon, lawyers, current affairs commentators, and representatives from various civic organizations.
The signatories expressed deep concern about the provisional injunction issued by the Seoul Central District Court that has effectively prohibited NewJeans from performing, recording music, or pursuing any entertainment-related activities. The five members have remained inactive since March, when the initial court decision barred them from independent work outside their agenc,y ADOR. The ban has kept one of K-pop's biggest acts largely paralyzed for over six months.
The prominent figures criticized the structural issues within South Korea's entertainment industry, highlighting the disparity between international standards and domestic practices. They noted that the United States operates under a certified agency system designed to protect artists' legal interests, whereas South Korea lacks such protections. Instead, the standard contract model enforced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requires artists to remain entirely subordinate to a single agency for seven years while placing nearly all contractual obligations solely on the performers.
In their statement, the 32 intellectuals and activists emphasized the significant profits HYBE, ADOR's parent company, has gained from NewJeans' success. They pointed out that HYBE invested 16 billion KRW to establish ADOR in October 2021, but the operating profit generated by the group alone has nearly quadrupled that initial investment since their 2022 debut. This financial context underscores what the figures view as an inherent imbalance in the current contractual framework.
The coalition called for comprehensive reform, urging the South Korean government to introduce a U.S.-style certified agency system as a fundamental solution to prevent repeated contractual disputes between artists and entertainment companies. They warned that without such reforms, globally recognized idol groups could become "effectively dismantled" through legal proceedings based on problematic standard contracts.
The statement arrives as NewJeans continues their legal battle against ADOR over the validity of their exclusive contract. The group has been on indefinite hiatus since announcing the suspension of activities in March, following their initial court loss. A final verdict on the contract dispute is expected on October 30, which will determine whether the group must remain under ADOR's management or has grounds to terminate their agreement.
English (US) · 