• Legal Experts Back NewJeans' Decision to End Contract with ADOR, Say There’s No Way to Stop Them

    NewJeans has announced they are ending their exclusive contract with ADOR, and legal experts say there’s no way to stop the group's decision.

    On November 28th, NewJeans revealed their decision to terminate the contract. ADOR responded by claiming that the contract is still valid, but legal professionals have suggested that NewJeans' move could be legally valid too.

    Lee Hyun Gon, a lawyer at Saeol Law Firm, explained the situation on Facebook, saying, "NewJeans' decision to end the contract without filing a provisional injunction is a strategic choice."

    He went on to explain that in typical contract termination cases, entertainers usually file for a provisional injunction. But by skipping that step, NewJeans has forced ADOR to take legal action if they want to stop the decision.

    Earlier that day, NewJeans held a press conference in Gangnam, Seoul, where they explained why they were ending their contract.

    Member Minji said, “We are terminating the contract because ADOR and HYBE violated the agreement,” and Haerin added, “We’ve never violated the contract, and there is no reason to pay penalties.”

    In response, ADOR denied the claims, saying the contract is still valid and expressing regret about the press conference being held before receiving a response to their notice.

    Lawyer Lee Hyun Gon also dismissed the argument that NewJeans' contract termination without a lawsuit is invalid, saying it was “baseless.”

    He pointed out that NewJeans' case has strong legal grounds, especially when compared to other contract terminations in the industry.

    The legal community believes this could set a new precedent for how exclusive contracts are handled in the future. An entertainment law expert said, "This new approach could be used as a reference for similar cases going forward."

    Source: [1]

  • Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s "When the Phone Rings" Apologizes for Offending Deaf Community with Sign Language Error

    Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s When the Phone Rings has issued an apology for the recent controversy surrounding the mockery of sign language.

    On November 29th, the drama’s production team released a statement on the viewer’s board addressing the issue. The statement began by saying, “We take the criticism about the improper handling of sign language very seriously, especially as it led to the mockery of the Deaf community and Korean sign language.”

    They went on to clarify, “The drama’s theme centers around ‘communication’ between people, and there was absolutely no intention to mock or belittle sign language, which is a vital communication tool for the Deaf community.”

    However, the production team admitted, “We humbly acknowledge that we did not give enough attention to the struggles of the Deaf community and the importance of Korean sign language. We will ensure that such mistakes do not happen again in the future.”

    The statement also highlighted the role of sign language in the drama, saying, “Sign language plays a crucial part in the relationship between the two main characters as they learn to communicate with each other. Through their journey, we want to show the true value of sign language as an important tool that connects people.”

    The production team concluded by asking for viewers' continued support, saying, “We hope you will keep watching the drama and point out any shortcomings you notice.”

    Earlier, in the first episode of When the Phone Rings, which aired on November 22nd, a mistake occurred when sign language interpreter Hong Hee Joo (played by Chae Soo Bin) mistakenly used the sign for "mountain" while trying to interpret "landslide" due to a broadcast error.

    This led to the sign being misunderstood as a finger gesture commonly seen as offensive, sparking backlash.

    After the episode aired, a viewer posted a complaint on the viewer’s board, asking for an apology for mocking sign language.

    The viewer explained that the sign for "mountain" is different from the offensive gesture and that using it in this context was hurtful to the Deaf community, as it has been used as a joke by hearing people.

    The post described this as an act of discrimination and mockery, calling for a more respectful approach.

    Source: [1]