Juna Moon & Hwang Wang report from Seoul and Singapore
Watch: Hanni became emotional as the group reacted to the court’s decision
“In a case that has shaken the K-Pop industry, Newjeans told the BBC in their first interview since the court blocked an attempt to leave the record label.
“We need this fight. It’s going to be extremely difficult and painful, but we’ll continue to do what we’ve done so far and speak up,” said Haerin, one of the five-piece members.
“We thought it was important to communicate what we had experienced to the world. Every choice we made was the best choice we could have.”
Newjeans looked invincible on the charts when they launched what was an extraordinary rebellion in a K-Pop high-pressure, closely controlled world. Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, Danielle and Minji were amazed South Korea and their fans, and were amazed by the decision to split from Ador, the label that launched them in November.
They insisted on abuse, workplace harassment and attempts to “define their careers.” It sought to enforce a seven-year contract, which is due to expire in 2029, and called for an injunction against the group’s commercial activities.
On Friday, a South Korean court confirmed that and ordered Newjaan to halt all “independent” activities, including song releases and advertising deals, but the incident was still ongoing. Newjaans has since challenged the court injunction.
The ruling on Friday was “shocking,” the group told the BBC.
“Some people think we’re famous enough to do whatever we want and say what we love. But the truth is, it’s not like that at all,” Hayin said. “We’ve hugged it for a long time, but only now we’ve finally spoken about what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling, what we’re experiencing.”
BBC/ Yujin Choi
Daniel (R) said Friday’s ruling was “shocking,” but Helin said the fight was difficult too.
The K-Pop industry is being repeatedly attacked due to the pressures that are placed on the stars, not only performance and success, but also making them look perfect. However, conflicts rarely spread to the general public, exposing star dissatisfaction and cleft on labels.
Last year’s dramatic announcement of Newjeans followed the long-released spat with Ador and its parent company Hebe – Korea’s largest music label.
Ador told the BBC in a statement that the deal with Newjeans is still there, adding that “most of their claims rose from misunderstanding.” The court said New Jeans “did not adequately prove” that Adore had breached the contract, adding that the label supported “most of the duties, including payments.”
The girls were rehearsing for a performance in Hong Kong when news of the ruling fell. They said when Minji received a message of concern from her mother, “She asked me, ‘Are you okay?” And I was like, ‘What happened?’ ”
“I was unsure,” Minji says. So did the others when she told them. “At first I thought she wouldn’t hear properly,” Daniel said. “We were all shocked.”
This was the second of two interviews with the BBC in a few weeks. In the first interview that took place before the ruling, the group was excited to release their new single, Pit Stop.
They talked about how they dealt with difficult times, including finding the comfort of cooking. “I’m not very good at it, but it’s kind of soothing,” Minji said before promising to make a “great dinner” for the group.
BBC/ Yujin Choi
LR: Minji, Haerin, Danielle, Hyein and Hanni were cheerful in their first interview
In the second interview, 24 hours after the ruling, they seemed disappointed and uncertain, and were not sure what was coming. “If we were going to go through this, we probably would have chosen…” Hanni kicked out as she shed tears.
A few seconds later, she continued:
The next night they took the stage in Hong Kong and made a pit stop under a new name despite the court’s orders. However, the evening they threw at the fans as a fresh start ended in tears as they said they were giving the crowd a break.
“That wasn’t an easy decision,” Hayin said on stage. “But for us at this point, it’s about protecting ourselves and allowing us to come back stronger.”
Just three years after his debut, The Future of the Young Stars – the future of 16-20 years old – is now in question.
But they tell the BBC that this is not the end of their path. It is expected to last for months, if not years, Minji says it gives him time to plan what he wants to do next.
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Newjeans is a huge success and is one of the world’s top selling acts
Since their debut in July 2022, Newjeans have brought incredible successes with every new release, OMG, Ditto, Super Shy and Atterness. A year later, they were the eighth best selling act in the world.
Critics called them a “game changer” as the distinctive playful blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melody broke through the e-beat dominated K-pop market. And their refreshing dance moves stood out among the highly synchronized videos.
They were still on the rise when the former boss of Man Hee Jin – Adore and their longtime mentors began to publicly trade accusations with Hybe. The music label created Ador, recognising Min Min Min with minority shareholders and further stock options before being removed from her role last August.
Hybe has now accused him of plotting Ador’s acquisition and Min at an emotional press conference. The fight becomes an ug officer and Min leaves the company claiming that she was kicked out.
That’s when Newjaan broke the silence – they requested Min’s return in two weeks on a live stream.
They were unable to contact her for a while, Daniel told the BBC in his first interview. “We didn’t know what was going on and there was no way to support her.
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(LR) Haerin, Danielle, Minji, Hanni and Hyein at a press conference documenting the split from Ador
Ador said Min could not return as CEO, but he could continue as an internal director and producer of Newjeans. When Min did not return, Newjeans announced he was leaving Ador, accusing the label of not meeting other demands.
Ador, denying all of these allegations, appears to be denouncement of Min for his dispute with Newjeans. “The heart of this issue lies in the original management of the label, providing distorted explanations to the artists, leading to misunderstandings. They can be fully addressed and resolved when they return to the member’s label,” Ador told the BBC in a statement.
For the next few months, Hanni, a Vietnam-Australian, testified in tears to South Korean lawmakers during an investigation into workplace harassment. “I realized that this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us,” she told them.
The New Journs case was dismissed after the Labor Department said the K-Pop star was not qualified as a worker and not qualifying for the same rights.
Then, in December, the New Journs took another rare step by supporting fans who were seeking each of Yoon Seok Yeol, who temporarily imposed each of South Korean shameful president Yoon Sook-Yeol. The group provided free food and drinks to fans who appeared at the huge protest rally.
There was also criticism in each round of advertising. Many of them came with their age. Some said they “crossed the line,” others called them “silly and reckless,” and even called them “ungrateful” in order to choose a fight with Adore. Others questioned whether they were making their own decisions.
Being young doesn’t mean they can’t take it too seriously, the group says. “It’s an easy way to downplay the fact that we’re actually trying to do something,” says Hanni. “The decisions we have made over the past year have been decided through so many discussions between us.”
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Newjeans at first court hearing for the case by Ador on March 7th
As the conflict continued, critics yelled, dubbing the girls as troublemakers rather than game changers. Following the ruling welcomed by their critics, New Journs says they are “very aware of the intense scrutiny and judgment” since they held that press conference last year.
“There was no moment when I expressed my opinion without worry or tension,” Minji says. “We’ve been thinking more about how responsible each action is than anyone else, and now we’re responsible for that.”
It’s not clear how long their break will last. Ador says he hopes to meet with the group soon and discuss the future, but Newjeans insists he doesn’t feel enough protection to return.
Their case with Ador will return to the headline when the hearing begins next week.
One of the things that seem constant is their determination to do this together.
Two weeks ago, Hanni said: “We’ve always told each other, if one person doesn’t want to do it, we’re not going to do it. It has to be all of us who agree to do it, and that’s how we got here.
On Saturday, she repeated: “We’re going to get through it.”
