In a lawsuit between ADOR, the agency of the idol group NewJeans, and Dolphiners Film, the company that produced NewJeans' music videos, the court sided with ADOR. Dolphiners Film uploaded the music videos to its YouTube channel without ADOR's permission, then deleted them after receiving a takedown request.
The Civil Agreement Division 62 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-seok) on the 13th ordered Dolphiners Film to pay ADOR 1 billion won and delayed interest in a damages suit ADOR filed against Dolphiners Film and its head, Director Shin Woo-seok. The court dismissed the damages claim against Director Shin.
ADOR said, "Of the 1.1 billion won claimed against Dolphiners Film, 1 billion won for the company's breach of contract was recognized, while the separate 100 million won claim for defamation was dismissed."
Dolphiners Film produced music videos for NewJeans' songs "Ditto," "OMG," and "ETA," among others. In Aug. 2024, Dolphiners Film created a "director's cut" of the ETA music video and posted it on its YouTube channel. ADOR did not give written consent in the process.
The ETA music video was shot in collaboration with Apple using an iPhone 14 Pro. ADOR said, "We received a complaint from the advertiser at the time regarding the video (the director's cut)," and added, "The ownership of videos related to NewJeans belongs to ADOR, and because the prior consent procedure specified in the contract did not occur, we demanded that the director's cut be taken down."
In response, Dolphiners Film deleted all NewJeans-related videos posted not only of the ETA director's cut but also on the "Ban Hee-soo Channel," an unofficial NewJeans fandom YouTube channel it operated.
Dolphiners Film argued, "There was a verbal agreement (to post the video) during then-CEO Min Hee-jin's tenure." ADOR countered, "It was an unauthorized release, and there was no verbal agreement."
Dolphiners Film then filed a criminal complaint in Nov. 2024, saying ADOR's statement referencing an "unauthorized release" defamed it. After that, ADOR filed a civil damages suit against Dolphiners Film. Prosecutors decided not to indict last July on the criminal complaint filed by Dolphiners Film.
Regarding the ruling, ADOR said, "The court accepted our claim that Dolphiners Film breached the contract," adding, "Former CEO Min Hee-jin testified in court that 'there was a verbal contract (with Dolphiners Film), and it is customary,' but it was not accepted."
Dolphiners Film, an advertising and film production company, was founded in 2015. Director Shin produced the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting promotional video "An incident in the parking lot," held last year in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang. President Lee Jae-myung, singer G-Dragon and Jang Won-young, film director Park Chan-wook, and soccer player Park Ji-sung appeared. On the 2nd, at the Blue House State Guest House, President Lee awarded Director Shin the Order of Civil Merit, Magnolia Medal.