NJZ, formerly NewJeans, say HYBE blocked memorial ribbons for Jeju Air disaster

By KTimes

Members of NJZ, formerly NewJeans, claimed that their agency, Ador, and its parent company, HYBE, attempted to prevent them from wearing memorial ribbons during a Japanese television appearance following the Jeju Air disaster last December. HYBE denied the claim, calling it "false information" and stating there was "no reason" for the company to prohibit the ribbons.

A hearing was held at the Seoul Central District Court, Friday, regarding Ador’s injunction request against NJZ members, seeking to maintain its authority as their agency, and to prevent them from signing independent advertisement contracts. The group’s legal representatives alleged that an Ador official discouraged them from wearing the ribbons, claiming it would overwhelm the Japanese broadcaster with viewer inquiries, potentially causing disruptions.

The incident in question took place during the "66th Japan Record Awards," Dec. 30, the day after the disaster. According to NJZ, Ador attempted to block them from wearing the ribbons, but after consulting the Japanese broadcaster and receiving confirmation that there would be "no issue," they proceeded to wear them.

Footage from the event shows that the ribbons worn by NJZ differed in design from those worn by other HYBE-label girl groups, Le Sserafim and ILLIT. NJZ asserted that had they not worn the ribbons, they could have been criticized and their reputation damaged.

Ador countered that misinformation was spreading about the ribbon issue, reiterating that "there was no reason" for the company to prevent the artists from wearing them. The agency stated that HYBE was conducting a comprehensive review of all its artists regarding the memorial ribbons and had intended to provide NJZ with the same ribbons as the other label groups. However, when NJZ opted to wear their own version, their choice was respected.

Ador further explained that due to the different broadcasting conditions in Japan, it had informed all its labels that prior coordination with broadcasters was necessary. The agency also said it had arranged for subtitles and remarks from the show’s hosts to explain the purpose of the ribbons.

NJZ members declared the termination of their exclusive contracts with Ador in November, citing breaches of duty. They have since rebranded as NJZ and announced a concert appearance in Hong Kong later this month, along with new music releases, while continuing legal disputes with Ador. The agency insists their contracts remain valid and has filed a lawsuit to confirm their exclusivity.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.