On September 11, Kpop girl group NewJeans (including Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein) unexpectedly held a livestream without going through a management company.
NewJeans requests HYBE Group to restore the position of CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of ADOR to Min Hee Jin and return ADOR to its original position before September 25.
Why do NewJeans members specify exactly 2 weeks (or 14 days) for HYBE?
According to Xports News, legal experts said the move proves the intention of NewJeans members to file for termination of their exclusive contract.
In May, it was reported that NewJeans filed a petition with the court, while the court was hearing the lawsuit filed by Min Hee Jin against HYBE.
The details were not disclosed, but the members have repeatedly shown their strong bond by considering Min Hee Jin as their “mother” since their debut. Recently, NewJeans even directly thanked the former CEO at a music awards ceremony.
In this situation, some experts explained that if HYBE does not restore former CEO Min Hee Jin's position within 2 weeks, NewJeans may file a request to terminate its exclusive contract with the company.
To legally initiate a contract termination lawsuit, artists must first file a complaint with the company, giving the company a deadline to respond or resolve the artist's complaint, usually two weeks.
If the company chooses not to resolve the complaint or does not resolve it according to the artist's wishes, the artists have the right to file a request for an injunction with the court (requesting the court to recognize the invalidity of the exclusive contract) or go straight to a lawsuit to terminate the contract.
Notably, legal experts believe that NewJeans could not have made this decision and taken these steps without the help of a legal team, be it a team of lawyers hired by their parents or from Min Hee Jin's side.
However, according to many predictions, HYBE Labels is highly likely to not accept the terms set by NewJeans. This means that a contract termination lawsuit may be inevitable in the near future.
Industry insiders are paying attention to whether Min Hee Jin's influence on the NewJeans members' decisions will turn the group into the second Fifty Fifty case?
3 members of girl group Fifty Fifty were fired and sued for contract damages, because they listened to outside instigation and confronted the company.
