New revelations have emerged linking Min Hee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, to the contract termination announcement of NewJeans (NJZ), sparking allegations of tampering in the entertainment industry.
Documents unveiled during an oral argument on March 11 indicate Min's involvement in the termination process, raising concerns about third-party interference in NewJeans' contract with ADOR. The termination notice, dated November 29, 2024, was crafted by the law firm Sejong, with ties to Min, as evidenced by the metadata in the PDF file. Moreover, the document was linked to the company 'S&K,' suggesting the use of a corporate account.
The timing of events around the contract termination has raised suspicions, with NewJeans announcing the decision at a press conference on November 28, only a day before the notice was sent. Despite initially claiming no legal representation, the group later enlisted Sejong in January 2025 in response to ADOR’s legal actions. ADOR has alleged that Min’s actions constitute tampering, pointing to a sequence of events leading up to the contract termination.
In the ongoing legal battle, ADOR contends that the termination was unjustified, citing breaches in contractual obligations as the only valid reason for contract cancellation. In contrast, NewJeans asserts that trust had irreparably deteriorated, justifying the termination. As the case unfolds in court, industry stakeholders are closely monitoring the tampering allegations and their potential impact on the K-pop sector.
Industry organizations have cautioned against the ramifications of successful tampering, highlighting the potential destabilization of the industry and the risk of foreign capital influence. The court has set deadlines for submissions of evidence and documents, with the first trial scheduled for April 3. Amid the legal showdown, the dispute between ADOR and NewJeans is poised to shape the landscape of exclusive contracts in the K-pop industry.
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