The Korea Management Federation (KMF) expressed concerns on Tuesday over NewJeans’ recent decision to terminate its exclusive contract with Ador, urging the group to reconsider.
The federation warned that such actions could destabilize the core principles of Korea’s entertainment industry, emphasizing the importance of mutual trust and respect between artists and agencies.
The KMF stated that exclusive contracts are based on decades of trust and understanding and cannot be nullified due to disputes. It criticized NewJeans for overlooking the effort required to maintain a professional relationship, highlighting the legal protections of contracts under Korean law.
The federation also raised concerns about the long-term impact of unilateral contract terminations, stressing that such actions could damage industry-wide trust and undermine investments made by entertainment companies in developing talent. It called for NewJeans to return to dialogue with Ador to resolve the issue amicably.
NewJeans announced their decision to terminate the contract on November 28, citing a breakdown of trust and accusing the agency of failing to protect the members.
Ador has denied the claims, asserting that the contract remains valid until July 2029.