Entertainment · K-Culture & Anime · 1 hr ago
NewJeans Contracts Omitted Protections for Young Performers
A New York Times report has brought NewJeans’ contracts with South Korean label ADOR under scrutiny.
The group debuted in 2022, and its members were aged 14 to 17 when they signed.
South Korea has a model contract that protects performers’ education, health and other rights, but those protections were omitted from the group’s contracts.
The report says the young performers trained for long hours, and four of the five members left school.
After a dispute with ADOR, a court ruled the group could not leave its contract, and ADOR later fired Danielle Marsh and sued her for $22 million, alleging she broke the agreement.
The other members remain under contract until 2029, while ADOR’s terms also allow it to use AI-generated versions of their voices indefinitely.
A New York Times report found that NewJeans’ contracts omitted protections against child labor included in a South Korean government contract template.
The members signed the contracts when they were aged 14 to 17, and their parents accepted the terms.
The template guarantees rights to education, physical and mental health, and other protections, but ADOR’s contracts left out several of them.
The contracts also included strict personal restrictions and allowed ADOR to use AI-generated NewJeans voices indefinitely.
ADOR won a court case against the group’s attempt to leave, fired Danielle Marsh, and is seeking millions of dollars in damages from her.
- Who
- NewJeans and their label, ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE.
- What
- A report found the group’s contracts omitted child-labor protections in a government template and included strict terms.
- When
- The contracts were signed when members were aged 14 to 17. The group debuted in 2022.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- ADOR’s reasons for changing the template are not stated. NewJeans said they sought to leave because of mistreatment and harassment.
NewJeans
ADOR and HYBE
Contract conditions
NewJeans
NewJeans claimed ADOR mistreated and harassed the members. The contracts omitted protections against child labor included in a government template.
ADOR and HYBE
HYBE said it complies with child-protection laws, works to ensure performers’ safety, and does not pressure them to quit school or penalize them for resting.
NewJeans debuted.
Hanni Pham denounced ADOR’s treatment of the group in testimony to the Korean Parliament.
NewJeans announced they were leaving ADOR and changing their name to NJZ; a court ruled they could not quit.
ADOR posted a video promising a “summer of NewJeans” that did not come to pass.
- Members’ ages when they signed
- 14 to 17
- Schooling
- Four of five members, according to Pitchfork, dropped out of school
- Rehearsals
- Sometimes continued until 2 a.m.
- Contract end date
- 2029
- Damages sought from Danielle Marsh
- About $22 million
3 sources
What people are saying
If you do not agree to the current contract draft, including the points above, it may be best to reconsider the contract itself.
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