NYT Report Details Contract Terms Binding K-pop Group NewJeans
New details about the contracts governing K-pop group NewJeans have emerged in a New York Times investigation, according to a report from Stereogum-style music coverage summarizing the findings. The terms shed light on the legal fight between the group and its label, Ador, a subsidiary of Hybe.
Background of the dispute
NewJeans debuted in 2022 and quickly became an international success, with singles such as “Super Shy” and “OMG”. The group was put together by Min Hee-jin, then CEO of Ador. After Min was pushed out of the label following an internal struggle, the members tried to leave with her. Last year they announced they were exiting Ador and renaming themselves NJZ, a rare act of defiance by a K-pop group against its label.
NewJeans argued that Ador had voided their contract through mistreatment and harassment. The label sued, and a Korean court ruled that the group could not quit. NewJeans then announced a hiatus. Ador dismissed member Danielle Marsh, 20, and sued her for $22 million in exit fees. According to the Times, those fees were calculated from average monthly earnings, counting only the months in which the group made money.
What the contracts reportedly contain
The members were children when their parents signed on their behalf. They lived in company dorms and trained intensively, and four of the six dropped out of school. The Times reports that a South Korean government template contract guarantees rights to physical and mental health, education and sleep, but that the NewJeans contracts removed those provisions.
When one member’s mother requested changes, Ador’s vice president reportedly replied that if she did not accept the draft, “it may be best to reconsider the contract itself.” The mother ultimately signed.
The Times also reports that the contract required members to repay a significant share of the money the label spent on plastic surgery and other beauty treatments during their trainee period. Hybe told the Times it does not recommend cosmetic procedures against an individual’s wishes.
Other clauses barred the members from stating “true or false facts” that could harm the label’s reputation, and prohibited underage drinking, drug use, an “insincere attitude,” “neglect of self-management” and “inappropriate romantic relationships.” These restrictions are described as common in K-pop.
Unusual terms on likeness and royalties
Some provisions are reportedly less typical. The contract runs through 2029, but the label reserved the right to use and license the members’ identities for things like voice clones and AI chatbots. Ador may also keep selling and repackaging the group’s music after the contract ends, paying the members a reduced royalty share.
The report adds to scrutiny of K-pop’s label system, which critics say gives young artists little money or creative control.
Source: stereogum.com
Image: TVTEN / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
