On May 30, NewJeans responded to a recent court ruling that ordered each member to pay 1 billion KRW (approximately $730,000) to their agency ADOR for every instance of engaging in independent entertainment activities without prior approval.
In an official statement, NewJeans clarified that the court’s decision on indirect compulsory enforcement was related to a previous injunction issued on March 21 that prohibited the members from conducting independent activities. They emphasized that this new ruling was not part of the ongoing appeal they filed against the initial injunction.
“The indirect compulsory decision announced today was made in response to an application submitted by ADOR on April 4,” the statement read. “It is not directly tied to the appeal of the original injunction, which is still under separate legal review.”
NewJeans added that the court’s latest decision is “temporary until the appeal is resolved.” They continued, “If the NewJeans members win the injunction appeal, both the original and the related indirect enforcement rulings will lose their legal effect. In practice, indirect enforcement is typically issued in conjunction with an injunction ruling.”
Earlier that day, the Seoul Central District Court's 52nd Civil Division sided with ADOR in the indirect compulsory enforcement case, ruling that each member must pay 1 billion KRW (approximately $730,000) per violation. With five members, the total penalty for a single unauthorized group activity could reach 5 billion KRW (approximately $3.65 million).
The court found that NewJeans violated the terms of the injunction by engaging in activities such as overseas performances and music releases under a new group name, NJZ. The court also acknowledged the potential for future violations.
The legal dispute between NewJeans and ADOR continues with a lawsuit over the validity of their exclusive contract. During the first hearing last month, NewJeans' legal team expressed no intention to settle, while ADOR’s representatives indicated they were open to a settlement. The second hearing is scheduled for June 5.
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