Overview
- The Seoul Central District Court awarded ADOR about 1 billion won in damages with 12 percent annual interest accruing from Dec. 14, 2024, until full payment.
- The case arose after Dolphiners Films uploaded an unauthorized director’s cut of the 'ETA' music video to its YouTube channel in August 2024.
- ADOR maintained that its contract grants it ownership of NewJeans’ videos and allows edited versions to be posted only on the label’s official channels, citing advertiser approval concerns.
- Following ADOR’s objection, director Shin removed NewJeans-related content from unofficial platforms and filed a criminal defamation complaint, while ADOR denied asking for broad takedowns.
- Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin testified there was a verbal agreement to post the director’s cut, as the ruling lands during broader organizational turmoil that recently saw Danielle Marsh removed from the group.