The crisis of the group NewJeans continues. Following the court's ruling in favor of their agency ADOR, signs of fan division are emerging. While the NewJeans members maintain a firm stance on 'leaving ADOR,' fans have taken to truck protests, raising voices for the need for dialogue with ADOR. At this rate, they might even lose the official fandom name, Bunnies.
Some fans of NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, HAEIN) continue to argue to the members about the need for dialogue with ADOR. They organized a truck protest in front of the HYBE headquarters located in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 27th, trying to convey the fans' opinions to the NewJeans members.
The truck billboard sent by fans to the HYBE headquarters read, “The fact that 11 injunctions favorable to celebrities were all granted is likely to be very disadvantageous in the main dispute. We want to convey to the members that there are other solutions,” “Whose lawsuit is this for,” “They say it's a six-member group, but the penalty is borne by the five members of NewJeans,” “An unwinnable fight for astronomical damages, get your act together,” “After already having a year-long hiatus, the lawsuit will make everyone forget for another three years,” “It’s too risky for NewJeans to handle to regret later,” “Bunnies respect NewJeans but cannot let them take a dangerous path.”
They also pointed out the responsibility of the adults hiding behind NewJeans, raising their voices to stop the gaslighting and not to put the members in danger. They emphasized, “Bunnies believe in your potential, not in the capabilities of the producers, and support the five members of NewJeans, not six.” This reflects the fans' desire for the NewJeans members to make decisions about their future through conversations with ADOR. It shows that fans' perspectives, who viewed NewJeans as victims of the management dispute between ADOR and the former CEO, Min Hee-jin, have changed.
NewJeans held an urgent press conference on Nov. 28 last year, declaring the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR and began their independent activities. ADOR stated that they wished to resolve the situation through dialogue with the NewJeans members, maintaining that the exclusive contract was still valid, and filed a lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of this contract. Subsequently, to prevent NewJeans members from independently conducting activities such as advertising contracts without ADOR's approval or consent, they filed for an additional injunction prohibiting ADOR from maintaining its agency status and concluding advertising contracts.
Nonetheless, the NewJeans members were proceeding with independent activities. They opened a new social media account, announcing a new activity name through social media. Later, they revealed the new name NJZ, announcing participation in ComplexCon in Hong Kong and the release of a new song. This was done after declaring the termination of their exclusive contract without any court judgment, merely indicating their independent activities.
However, NewJeans' independent activities were halted by the court's ruling. The Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 50, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Sang-hoon, ruled on the 21st that ADOR's application for an injunction to maintain agency status and prohibit advertising contracts against the five members of NewJeans was granted. The court concluded that, based only on the claims and materials submitted by NewJeans, it could not find that ADOR violated its contractual obligations, resulting in the temporary suspension of the new start as NJZ. Since this is a legal ruling, the NewJeans members also found themselves in a situation where they could not unilaterally start a new project, which ultimately marked the beginning of a longer wait for their fans.
The NewJeans members have suspended NJZ activities but are opposed to the court's ruling. They ultimately took the stage at ComplexCon in Hong Kong, unveiling a new song, and expressed their reaction to the ruling through U.S. news magazine Time and the British BBC News, saying, “It's disappointing. We were shocked.”
As this transpired, public opinion worsened, and signs of division emerged within the fandom. When NewJeans stated through foreign media, “We have been holding back for a long time and finally raised our voices about the injustices we've faced, but honestly, it's not flowing favorably in society,” fans expressed their concerns. There were worries regarding the future activities of the NewJeans members, who were defying the court's ruling.
Additionally, Attorney Ko Sang-rok, who is well-known as a fan of NewJeans, remarked, “At first, they allied with Min Hee-jin to attack the parent company, and then they attacked other labels and their affiliated artists. Now, they are denying the industry and ultimately even ignoring the court, pushing the entire society into a pitiful state while making anti-Korean statements. Where will they find standing after this?” He added, “It's time to wake up from this dream.”
Furthermore, in the legal field, there was a concern that NewJeans' performance despite the court's ruling could result in significant penalty lawsuits and contract termination issues. If this were to happen, it could initiate another lengthy legal battle. This also means the long-term suspension of activities that Bunnies are most worried about.
Now, what's left is the decision of the NewJeans members. A prolonged hiatus in the rapidly changing K-pop industry poses a risk of losing the group in the end. Previously, some members of the group Fifty Fifty faced conflicts with their agency, shaking the entire team. If NewJeans continues with prolonged legal battles and absence, they could lose their most precious fandom, Bunnies. With the fandom already showing signs of division, NewJeans should listen to the voices of their fans.
[Photo] OSEN DB.
[OSEN]