Day 1 of Ador vs NJZ contract validity begins

[RussianRoulette]

The NJZ vs Ador trial regarding the validity of their exclusive contract has officially begun.

I'll use this thread to post the updates on today's trial.

For starters: I would like to say that while Bunnies have showed up to the trial and are outside the courthouse with signs to show support, NJZ are not attending today's trial. Since this is not a criminal trial it was stated in news articles that neither party needs to physically show up for the trials, only their lawyers.

We have also gotten an update that the objection hearing for the injunction will be held in one week, on Wednesday April 9th at 2pm.

A mini summary before I go into everything:

NJZ's lawyers has given NJZ's opening statement on why they think their contract should be considered ended. They are arguing their contract was with the old Ador which is MHJ, not the current Ador which is new staff and management. They are arguing that although on paper the company is still Ador since the management is different they cannot fufill their contracts. They are also arguing that although their individual reasons for contract termination might seem insufficient, when all of them are combined together it proves irreparable damage and breech of trust.

Based on all of the articles i'm seeing, their main argument is that the contract and group cannot exist without MHJ and the old Ador management.

I am going to break the post here to do some of the back and forth of the judge's questions and Ador and NJZ's responses.

I am using Ador and NJZ, but please bear in mind that I really mean Ador's lawyers and NJZ's Lawyers.
​

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Judge
When the judge asked if there's any possibility for an agreement or mediation, this is their responses:

Ador
"The Plaintiffs are hoping for an agreement"

NJZ
"It doesn’t seem like that’s the case at this time, and the defendants own mental states don’t seem to allow them to think about such things. For Now, it seems like that’s the case."

Judge
You’re talking about a breakdown in trust, but the dispute between Min Hee Jin personally and Hybe and its affiliates seems unrelated to whether (New Jeans) terminated the exclusive contract or violated its obligations under the exclusive contract.

NJZ​

We believe that each of the individual reasons for termination mentioned by the plaintiff is sufficient grounds for termination. However, even if each of those reasons may not be sufficient on its own, when all of them are combined, the conclusion that is reached is that the trust between the plaintiff and the defendant has been irreparably damaged.

If all the management is replaced, the past and current corporations may be the same on paper, but in reality, they are completely different corporations. I'm not just talking about Min Hee-jin. After Min Hee-jin was ousted and new management came in under Hive's instructions, the Ador that the defendants had a contract with in the past and the current Ador are only legally the same in form, but the current Ador has completely different values (from the past) and has become a different corporation.

Therefore, the New Jeans members can no longer fulfill their contracts with the current Ador, not the past Ador. The basic relationship of trust has been broken, so we cannot continue together. Rather than simply looking at Min Hee-jin, I hope the court will look into whether the past Ador and the current Ador are really the Ador that the defendants trusted in this situation where Min Hee-jin was ousted, and whether it is in the interest of justice to sentence the defendants to continue working together while trusting the current Ador.​

Ador
This is their response to NJZ​

In relation to producing, the defendant side is emphasizing that they cannot continue entertainment activities without Min Hee-jin and that they must go together. It is true that former CEO Min Hee-jin has contributed to what NewJeans is today to some extent, but to say 'NewJeans cannot exist without Min Hee-jin' makes no sense.

Above all, Adore is the number one industry in our country, and it is a subsidiary of Hybe, so it doesn't make sense that they couldn't find another producer and support (New Jeans). Considering that the defendants independently prepared and successfully completed the Hong Kong concert without Min Hee Jin's help, the claim that only Min Hee Jin could do it contradicts the defendant's own words and actions.​

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Right now it's 2pm in Seoul, I have no idea if today's trial is still ongoing (i'm assuming so since I haven't seen any final statements in source articles), or if its over because this is only Day 1 of the trial.

Some sources say this trial could last 3-5 years though i'm not too sure on that. I'm not a legal expert.

Here's my sources so far:
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4

The next court date is June 5th​

 

[UMJI MOODS]

Post the kim soohyun press manipulation I am dubious of anything articles might say since ador/hybe has a much larger war chest of money than one actor. I will expect that njz legal team will be portrayed as bumbling and their legal reasons as worthless and njz as not bright. Meanwhile ador/hybe legal will never appear to make any mistakes ans the company as noble. I am team no one as always because I don't like hybe and njz are still hybe unless a verdict says otherwise. I acknowledge no group but GFRIEND. The ksh goings on just showed that the Korean press is for sale and are not trustworthy.
Also I am doubtful Bunnies are outside "A 100-metre radius “vacuum state” has been imposed outside the court building to prevent demonstrations"[article] because of the presidential impeachment verdict coming. Public gathering is being discouraged.

 

[RussianRoulette]

Also I am doubtful Bunnies are outside "A 100-metre radius “vacuum state” has been imposed outside the court building to prevent demonstrations"[article] because of the presidential impeachment verdict coming. Public gathering is being discouraged.

Discouraged but not stopped.

This article mentions the fans outside the building along with the press:
“numerous media outlets visited the scene to cover the case. Foreign media outlets were also present. Fans cheering for New Jeans, such as 'NJZ Fighting!', also visited the court.”

This NJZ fan account also posted some pictures. There doesn’t seem to be many fans based on this picture, but there’s some there.

 

[UMJI MOODS]

Discouraged but not stopped.

This article mentions the fans outside the building along with the press:
“numerous media outlets visited the scene to cover the case. Foreign media outlets were also present. Fans cheering for New Jeans, such as 'NJZ Fighting!', also visited the court.”

This NJZ fan account also posted some pictures. There doesn’t seem to be many fans based on this picture, but there’s some there.

Not a lot though and as can be seen they are trying to maintain space between the dozen or so present.

 

[UMJI MOODS]

An update already of what the judge had to say:
source
I’ve seen many cases of idols wanting to terminate contracts because of settlement issues, but this is a special case. Isn’t the breakdown of trust an abstract concept? I will have to think about how to take on this case because each person feels differently about trust.
Chief judge Jung Hoe Il

 

[temporarywool]

Post the kim soohyun press manipulation I am dubious of anything articles might say since ador/hybe has a much larger war chest of money than one actor. I will expect that njz legal team will be portrayed as bumbling and their legal reasons as worthless and njz as not bright. Meanwhile ador/hybe legal will never appear to make any mistakes ans the company as noble. I am team no one as always because I don't like hybe and njz are still hybe unless a verdict says otherwise. I acknowledge no group but GFRIEND. The ksh goings on just showed that the Korean press is for sale and are not trustworthy.
Also I am doubtful Bunnies are outside "A 100-metre radius “vacuum state” has been imposed outside the court building to prevent demonstrations"[article] because of the presidential impeachment verdict coming. Public gathering is being discouraged.

"I acknowledge no group but GFRIEND."

Goes pretty hard.

Also same. Like I said in a previous post I'm team u r both shit and mhj shouldn't be allowed near the girls and idols need a union.

 

[UMJI MOODS]

"I acknowledge no group but GFRIEND."

Goes pretty hard

I forgot to add hybe before group since I like some non hybe ggs like VIVIZ and KARA. Also I like Seventeen members because they are friends with Umji and SinB but still won't listen to them because hybe is involved.

 

[temporarywool]

I forgot to add hybe before group since I like some non hybe ggs like VIVIZ and KARA. Also I like Seventeen members because they are friends with Umji and SinB but still won't listen to them because hybe is involved.

Yeah I understood that u meant they're the only group that have ever been controlled by hybe that u acknowledge.

It makes u sound like a knight. Cute lol.

 

[BianTwo]

Ador/HYBE aren't likable for sure but as a company they won't care

NJZ can't only rely on their feelings to win a lawsuit, there are rules, laws, contracts signed, evidences to show, etc. It's not perfect of course.

And with my little experience from outside, the Korean medias/press isn't that reliable with all those corruptions, journalists being paid by one side, etc. Same goes for the police.

Idols need more protection, more rights, but I doubt this will change, or very slowly

So next step : June. This issue can last for a quite long time and for idols time is precious even if NJZ members are still very young.

 

[RussianRoulette]

I'm going to ramble for a bit:

I feel conflicted about this whole thing because I honestly feel like there isn't one clear "winner" or "bad guy" here, everyone is sort of bad/grey in their own way.

Hybe is a trash company, I feel like I don't even need to explain why.

MHJ is a trash person, I don't need to explain why either.

I want what's best for the girls but I don't think it's with MHJ and I honestly don't think NJZ has a strong case.

"We're mad we weren't consulted before MHJ was fired, this is lack of trust"
You honestly had no reason to be consulted in Ador's decision to let MHJ go and you have now had two different judges say that this matter isn't relevant to your contract case. Also, since it's now being debated how involved you guys were in MHJ's coup it makes sense that Ador/Hybe didn't consult you first.

"The entire management changed, our contract shouldn't be valid"
I'm in a grey area about this.
Just because you get a new boss doesn't mean your work contract has ended. Even from personal experience i've been in jobs where my entire management team changed but just because you get new management doesn't mean you need to sign a new work contract. Albeit, since i'm just a regular worker I have the availability to hand in my two weeks notice and leave when management changes and I don't like them and idol's don't have this privilege, which I think is kind of an issue.

Other idols usually do have a contract change/update when their management changes. For example, I know The Boyz had to sign a new contract when Creker became IST though the time limit on that contract was just for the remainder of the time for their IST contract. I'm sure Fromis_9 probably had a similar situation when their companies changed along with lots of other idols. NJZ didn't have this big of a change though, just a new CEO.

I'm also now confused by the fact that they kept saying they had a big piece of evidence that would win them the case and now they're saying they don't have one big piece but a bunch of smaller stuff which together makes one big thing. Do you have evidence or not?

I agree that Idols need more protection and rights, this has been an issue for YEARS, though I don't think NJZ and their case is the strongest or best case to make these changes in the industry.

 

[BianTwo]

NJZ, guided by MHJ, their parents, lawyers, etc. have done many mistakes of course. Them sticking to MHJ until their death is very questionable and you wonder how much influence she have on them and their family.

With their lack of evidences, or at least strong ones, they probably went for the emotional path to win the public instead of winning in the court.

It's way too late now but they had many opportunities to return to ADOR. Nowadays it's impossible for NJZ to work with them and ADOR will only dungeon them, maybe not, so they decided to fight anyway with the consequences.

What a mess, what a waste. Both side could've done so much working together even if there was conflicts.