Foreign media reports claim that the exclusive contract signed by girl group NewJeans during their minor years contained clauses unfavorable to the members.
The New York Times reported on November 5 (local time) that it had obtained and analyzed the exclusive contract signed in 2022 between the five members of NewJeans—who were then between 14 and 17 years old—and their agency, ADOR.
The New York Times claimed that the contract contained clauses that could restrict the members' rights, noting in particular the omission of provisions specified in the government's standard contract to protect minors' rights to sleep, rest, and education.
The report also stated that there was a clause requiring the members to repay a significant portion of the expenses incurred by the company during their trainee days for plastic surgery or skin care.
However, it added that in the case of NewJeans, HYBE covered the actual expenses incurred during their trainee period, allowing the members to receive earnings immediately after debut without any debt.
The New York Times reported that the contract included provisions prohibiting unfaithful behavior and inappropriate romantic relationships, as well as a clause allowing the agency to use the members' names, faces, and voices, or grant third parties permission to use them, even after the expiration of the contract.
The New York Times analyzed that these clauses leave room for application to voice cloning and chatbot production using AI, though it added that their legal validity remains unclear.
In response, HYBE, the parent company of ADOR, flatly denied the allegations.
In a statement released today, HYBE asserted that the national standard adolescent supplementary agreement signed between its subsidiary labels and trainees includes protective clauses for personal rights and the right to sleep, and that NewJeans' exclusive contract contained basic human rights protection clauses that encompass these elements.
Furthermore, the company explained that the use of AI content requires the individual consent of the artists, and that preventing unhealthy romantic relationships that could cause social controversy is necessary to protect the artists, a provision that the parents also agreed to.
Regarding the contract signing process, HYBE stated that the contract was finalized and signed after about three months of revisions and discussions involving the then-ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, the members, their parents, and some legal representatives. The company criticized that the contract and litigation materials were leaked to foreign media and are being used as tools to attack K-pop.
(Reported by Ryu Ran | Video by Oh Se-gwan | Video Editing by Yoon Tae-ho | Produced by SBS Digital News | Image courtesy of The New York Times)
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