Their rebuttal in the court has not been taken well by the public.
Amid the ongoing legal battle between NJZ (NewJeans) and ADOR, the group’s public image has seemingly suffered in Korea.
On June 5, KST, the 41st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court held the second hearing in ADOR’s lawsuit to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the NJZ members. Notably, the idols were not in attendance, but the environment inside the courtroom was reportedly tense as the legal representatives from both sides clashed with heated arguments.
NJZ’s legal counsel emphasized that the trust between the company and the members had collapsed. “We have crossed the bridge of no return,” they stated, rejecting any possibility of a settlement.
In response, ADOR claimed that it continued to manage NJZ’s activities even after the company’s leadership changed. The group’s lawyers retorted, “Anyone could have done that. That’s not why we signed an exclusive contract.”
This particular rebuttal has put off many netizens, as they felt that the statement was out of touch and arrogant.
- “I’ve been to a lot of fan signings for less popular idols, and honestly, there are quite a few really pretty girls among the ones from small, struggling agencies. If they had signed with a large or mid-sized company, they probably would’ve gotten a lot more attention. But because they’re with a tiny agency no one cares about, they just ended up fading away. It really shows how important the agency is.”
- “But honestly, at this point, it really feels like they think they’re some kind of superstar with extraordinary talent…”
- “Honestly, the positions the NewJeans members are in could’ve been filled by Anyone, as they said. That’s why even they’re saying they’d flop without Min Hee Jin.”
- “Wow, this really crossed a line. Maybe they need to experience working at some other small, struggling agency to understand.”
- “If we’re being precise, big agencies usually provide management and support that small agencies just can’t, and the part anyone can do is the idol side itself…”