K-pop stars take label giant to court to break record deal after claims of mistreatment

K-pop girl group New Jeans head back to court this week in an attempt to break free from the South Korean entertainment giant that created them.

The members of a popular K-Pop girl group featuring two Australian singers continue their court battle this week to leave the Korean entertainment giant that created them.

NewJeans, whose members include Newcastle-born Danielle Marsh and Melbourne’s Hanni Pham, have been wrestling with South Korean hitmaking conglomerate Hybe in their attempt to be let go from its ADOR label.

The five members, known to fans as Danielle, Haerin, Hanni, Hyein and Minji, announced they were leaving the label and management arm in November.

The campaign for emancipation has been ongoing, with the members speaking out about their disturbing treatment via the infamous “training” system which turns out perfect K-pop stars.

Haerin, Danielle, Minji, Hanni and Hyein of girl group NewJeans at a press conference announcing they were leaving ADOR. Picture: Getty.

Marsh, 19, told fans during a recent Instagram livestream on their rebranded NJZ channel that all of the trainees’ activities were closely monitored in the South Korean hit factories, from their diet to going to the bathroom.

“I remember having to take pictures of what I ate before I was actually able to consume it. I had to send pictures to our manager and she would have to check it,” the singer said.

She also alleged she had to seek permission to go to the toilet.

“You had to leave a message before you were able to go to the toilet and this was even in free time. You were constantly being watched over when you were in the practice room,” she shared.

Aussie-born Danielle said the training system monitored their diet and toilet habits. Picture: Getty.

Marsh and her NewJeans sisters, who are aged between 16 and 20, “graduated” from the training system three years ago as K-pop swept the global charts and they were launched as the only signing on the ADOR label.

The critically acclaimed group, whose clever spin on 1990s R&B saw them hailed as the next big thing to follow BTS and Blackpink, have generated more than six billion Spotify streams for a succession of hits in Korea and Japan.

They crossed over to the pop charts in Australia, America, the UK and Europe with their 2023 EP Get Up and the single “Super Shy”.

But their relationship with their label masters began to unravel in August last year when ADOR boss and NewJeans mentor Min Hee-jin was forced out of the label by its parent company Hybe.

Hanni, Danielle, Minji and Haerin on stage in Seoul last year as their career was flying high. Picture: Getty.

They accused her of trying to wrest control of ADOR from Hybe, which is now the fourth biggest music company in the world. Min countered by claiming they were sabotaging NewJeans by launching a similar girl group.

NewJeans bucked the K-pop system of maintaining silence amid drama and scandal, and demanded Min be reinstated.

When that didn’t happen, the five singers announced in November they were breaking their seven-year label and management contract with Hybe, due to expire in 2029, and would relaunch as an independent act to be called NJZ.

They accused the entertainment conglomerate of mistreatment, including a lack of an apology for alleged bullying.

Hanni, a Vietnamese-Australian, burst into tears as she testified in October at a South Korean inquiry into workplace harassment.

Vietnamese-Australian singer Hanni testified at an inquiry into workplace harassment. Picture: Getty.

“I came to the realisation that this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us,” she said.

The dispute escalated again last week when ADOR won an injunction in the South Korean Central Distinct Court preventing the group from any commercial activities as NJZ.

The injunction, preventing them from releasing any independent singles or signing advertising or licensing deals as NJZ, was granted two days before the group were due to make their live debut under the new name at ComplexCon in Hong Kong.

In a concerning statement from Ador after the injunction was granted, label representatives said they would be at ComplexCon to monitor NewJeans’ performance.

NewJeans was hailed as the next big K-pop artists to command the global charts. Picture: Getty.

“We will be fully present at ComplexCon this weekend to guarantee the performance is presented under the NewJeans name. We eagerly anticipate meeting with the artists for a heartfelt conversation at the earliest opportunity,” the statement read.

Ador has said “most of (NewJeans) claims have risen from misunderstandings.”

The group members told BBC it had taken a “huge amount of courage” to speak up and challenge the K-pop music industry.

“This fight is necessary. Although it will be extremely difficult and arduous, we will keep doing what we have done so far and speak up,” said Haerin.

The NewJeans and Ador lawsuit hearings begin in the South Korean court on April 3.

Originally published as K-pop stars take label giant to court to break record deal after claims of mistreatment