Kumalas na ang sikat na K-pop girl group na NewJeans sa pangangalaga ng kanilang talent management na ADOR, subsidiary ng giant entertainment company na HYBE.
Ngayong Huwebes, November 28, 2024, nagpatawag ng emergency press conference ang limang miyembro ng New Jeans na sina Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, at Hyein.
Dito ay pormal na isinapubliko ng grupo ang desisyon nilang i-terminate ang kanilang exclusive contract sa ADOR at HYBE.
Ayon sa grupo, napagdesiyunan nilang umalis sa kinabibilangang ahensya dahil sa ilang paglabag umano ng mga ito sa kanilang exclusive contracts.
Read: MAMA 2023: BTS members, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, New Jeans, IVE lead nominees
Bago raw sila magpatawag ng press conference ay ginawa nila ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang makipag-ayos sa ADOR, katulad na lamang ng pagpapadala nila rito ng certification of contents.
Laman ng certification of contents ang kanilang mga hinaing, kabilang na ang pagtawag sa kanila bilang "disposable" ng HYBE at misconduct ng ahensya sa dati nilang director na si Min Hee-jin.
Hiniling daw ng grupo sa ahensya na sagutin isa-isa ang mga ito sa loob ng labing-apat (14) na araw ngunit tila pinagwalang-bahala umano ito ng ADOR at HYBE, kung kaya't hanggang ngayon ay wala pa silang natatanggap na paliwanag.
HYBE CONTROVERSy
Noong October 2024, humarap sa katakut-takot na batikos ang HYBE matapos lumabas at kumalat ang kanilang internal report na naglalaman ng mga dokumento ukol sa panlalait at pangmamaliit nila sa K-pop stars at groups mula sa mga katunggali nilang talent agencies gaya ng SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, at YG Entertainment.
Ito'y matpos nabunyag ang pinakatatagong dokumento ng HYBE nang kuwestiyunin ng National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee audit ang weekly music industry report ng higanteng ahensya.
Napag-alamang sa halos 18,000-page document na inilatag ng HYBE sa kanilang executives, naglalaman ito ng "malicious comments on looks and skills, unverified rumors, and more" ng mga K-pop artist ng iba't ibang talent agencies.
Kabilang sa nabanggit sa dokumento ang pangalan ng mga sikat na grupong aespa, Stray Kids, NCT Dream, IVE, (G) I-DLE, at NewJeans.
Read: SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan defends co-idols amid HYBE controversy
Isa ito sa mga bagay na ngayo'y inirereklamo ng NewJeans.
Mababasa sa kanilang statement (ayon sa English translation ng Soompi.com):
"First of all, the reason we are holding this emergency press conference is because the time period for rectification from the certification of contents we sent ends at midnight tonight. However, although today’s work hours are over, HYBE and the current ADOR are not showing any will to make reform or to listen to our requests.
"Actually, tomorrow morning we are leaving for Japan and are returning next week because we have scheduled activities abroad.
"We were worried because we are not sure what kind of media play or media manipulation HYBE and the current ADOR will do during that time, and we wanted to express our thoughts accurately, so we discussed a lot among ourselves, and we had no choice but to hold an emergency press conference today."
Dagdag pa ng grupo, hindi nagawa ng ADOR ang trabaho nitong protektahan ang NewJeans, kaya't napagtanto nilang kung hindi sila aalis dito ay maapektuhan lamang ang kanilang mental health.
Saad ng NewJeans: "The reason we are leaving ADOR is very simple, and I think the reporters here who know our situation are also all very aware. NewJeans is an artist of ADOR, and ADOR is obligated to protect NewJeans. It is the most basic obligation that an agency has.
"ADOR does not have the will or ability to protect NewJeans. If we remain here, it will be a waste of our time, and our mental distress will continue. More than anything, there is nothing that we can gain in terms of our work, so the five of us think that there is no reason at all for us to remain at ADOR.
"As a result, the exclusive contracts between NewJeans and ADOR will be terminated as of November 29 at 12 a.m. KST.
"However, HYBE and ADOR are currently differentiating the two companies like word play, insisting that it cannot be a violation of contract because HYBE is at fault and not ADOR. However, as everyone knows, HYBE and ADOR are pretty much just one entity now.
"The ADOR that we worked with has already changed a lot, and the directors who were at the company before were all abruptly dismissed. Now they are differentiating HYBE and ADOR, and we really cannot accept the argument that we must maintain our exclusive contracts with the ADOR that has been changed according to what HYBE wants, that has cut off ties with the [music video] director who worked hard with us, that has broken all of this trust.
"As a result, we demanded rectification regarding the violations of our contract, and as mentioned earlier, the time period for that rectification ends at midnight tonight.
"I’m not sure if you saw yesterday, but [they released] an unwilling statement that begins with: 'This statement is in response to the actions required by the certification of contents from the artists,' with no will for reform and only for show as they have continuously demonstrated, and no rectification occurred for any of the requests we made.
"We expressed our opinions on several occasions such as through the live broadcast and through this certification of contents, but we are so tired of their insincere attitude, and we felt once again that they have no sincerity toward us and that have no desire at all to listen to our requests.
"Work hours have passed, and less than four hours remain until midnight, but no rectification has been made, so the five of us will terminate our contracts immediately at midnight on November 29."
Diin pa nila: "When our exclusive contracts our terminated, the five of us will no longer be artists of ADOR.
"Breaking away from ADOR, we plan on freely carrying out the activities that we sincerely want.
"However, we will carry out the promised and contracted activities we have scheduled already.
"We will also carry out the contracted advertisement deals as planned. We wanted to relay that we are really truly thankful to the advertisers who always support us and that they do not have to worry.
"We do not want to cause any harm to others due to our contract termination. We do not want that."
BREACH OF CONTRACT
Nanindigan din ang NewJeans na walang katotohanan ang naglalabasang ulat online tungkol sa breach of contract na na-violate nila sa ADOR at HYBE.
Anila: "We also saw several articles about penalties for breach of contract. We did not violate our exclusive contracts, and we have never violated them.
"Until now, we have been putting in our full effort to carry out our activities, so we think that there is no reason for us to pay penalties.
"Actually, the current ADOR and HYBE violated the contracts, leading to this current situation, so we believe the current ADOR and HYBE are the ones who are responsible."
Sa huli, nangako ang grupo sa kanilang mga tagahanga na anu't ano man ang mangyari ay ipaglalaban nila ang kanilang mga karapatan lalo na ang patuloy na paggamit sa kanilang pangalan, lisanin man nila ang ADOR at HYBE.
Sabi ng NewJeans: "Lastly, when midnight passes tonight, there is a possibility that the five of us may not be able to use the name NewJeans for the time being despite our will.
"However, the essence that the five of us are NewJeans will not change at all, and we do not have any thoughts of giving up the name NewJeans.
"To some people, NewJeans may just feel like a name or a trademark issue, but it is not that simple to us.
"It is a name that contains the meaning of everything we have achieved from the first day that the five of us met until now, so we will continue to work to secure the rights to the name NewJeans."
HANNI, Danielle, miji's STATEMENT
Bukod sa group statement, tatlo rin sa miyembero ng NewJeans ang nagsalita sa isinagawa nilang press conference para idetalye ang kalunos-lunos na sinapit umano nila sa kamay ng ADOR at HYBE.
Pahayag ni Hanni: "We have faced mistreatment not just toward us but also toward our staff, countless preventions and contradictions, deliberate miscommunication, and manipulation regarding multiple areas.
"[It is] a company that no longer has any sincerity in the art of music that is created, is rather fixated on appearing like a well-working company despite only having thoughts about making money, and does not have any conscience about the negative effect they create through their non-authentic means.
"This is not the type of work ethic we respect nor want to be a part of, and to continue working under a company with no intention of protecting NewJeans would only do us harm. So that is why we, the five of us together, have agreed to leave ADOR."
Sa ginanap na parliamentary hearing noong October 2024, isa si Hanni sa mga tumestigo sa ginagawa diumanong pambu-bully ng HYBE sa mga baguhang artists nito.
Paniniguro naman ni Danielle sa kanilang fans: "So basically once we leave ADOR we will aim to pursue freely the activities that we really desire. Especially with the schedules that have already been arranged, we will try our very best to continue them without any complications.
"We really wish to be able to release new music for Bunnies next year, as soon as possible, whenever. And we really hope that we have the opportunity to meet you guys from all around the world.
"Lastly, we are well aware that from today we may not be able to use our current name NewJeans, however, that doesn’t mean that we are giving up on the name at all, and we will continue to fight for NewJeans.
"Regardless of our name, just remember that NewJeans never dies."
Dagdag ni Minji, "I believe that a person’s mental attitude is very important. A courageous person can change the world and live their life more independently.
"I don’t think everyone has the courage to take action for whatever they set their mind on rather than measuring how much they are capable of achieving."
ADOR RELEASES STATEMENT
Samantala, ilang oras matapos ang emergency press conference ng NewJeans ay naglabas ng official statement ang ADOR patungkol sa naging desisyon ng grupo.
Nagulat umano sa ginawa ng K-pop girl group, lalo na raw nang sabihin ng mga itong nilabag nila ang ilang nakasaad sa exclusive contracts ng NewJeans.
Ganunpaman, bukas daw ang ahensya sa pakikipag-usap sa NewJeans para maayos ang hindi nila napagkasunduan.
Mababasa sa kanilang statement (ayon sa English translation ng Soompi.com): "We regret that a press conference to announce the termination of exclusive contract was planned and conducted even before receiving a response to the certification of contents and without sufficient review.
"ADOR, as a party of the exclusive contracts, has not violated the contracts, and claiming that trust has been unilaterally broken does not constitute grounds for termination.
"The exclusive contracts between ADOR and the NewJeans members remain valid. Therefore, we expect them to continue their scheduled activities ahead together with ADOR as they have until now.
"We have requested several meetings with the artists, but they were not carried out. We hope that even now, we can open our hearts and have sincere conversations together."
Dagdag pa nila, "ADOR will do our best to support NewJeans in their activities and help them grow further as global artists."