The New York Times reported on Thursday, Nov. 5, that it had obtained the exclusive contract NewJeans members signed when they were 14 to 17 years old. According to the analysis, the contract omits the youth protection provisions found in the Korea Fair Trade Commission's standard exclusive contract, and its terms on penalties and on the use of members' likenesses and voices after the contract ends favor the agency. HYBE rebutted that the contract is legal.

The New York Times reported on Thursday, Nov. 5, that it had obtained the exclusive contract signed by members of the group NewJeans when they were 14 to 17 years old. The Times analyzed the contract as weighted far more heavily in the agency's favor than the standard contract recommended by the government. Roh Jong-eon, a Seoul attorney who reviewed the contract, described it to the Times as "an unusually aggressive contract."

How It Differs From the Standard Contract

The Korea Fair Trade Commission's standard exclusive contract for popular culture and arts professionals (focused on singers) requires agencies to guarantee child and teen entertainers' basic human rights, including physical and mental health, the right to education, personality rights, and the rights to sleep and rest, and bars agencies from demanding excessive working hours. According to the Times, the NewJeans contract did not include these provisions.

The method for calculating penalties also differed. The standard contract recommends multiplying the average monthly revenue over the two years before termination by the remaining contract period, but the NewJeans contract calculated the average using only months in which revenue was actually generated. Lawyers consulted by the Times said this method could inflate the penalty.

Rights after the contract ends are also at issue. Under the standard contract, the agency's right to use an entertainer's name, photos and voice ends when the contract does. The Times reported that the NewJeans contract allows the agency to keep using the members' likenesses and voices after the contract expires in 2029, including AI-generated voices. It also contained provisions broadly restricting conduct, such as a ban on statements that damage the company's reputation.

HYBE: "A Legal Contract Made in Good Faith"

HYBE told the Times that its affiliate label's contract is legal and was negotiated in good faith to protect the investments of both the artists and the company. It explained that the standard contract is a non-binding recommendation and that the members' parents agreed to the altered provisions. HYBE rebutted that it complies with child protection laws and that its penalty method conforms to industry standards.

Court Sided With ADOR

In November 2024, NewJeans held a press conference and declared the termination of its contract with its agency, ADOR. However, on March 21, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court granted ADOR's request for a preliminary injunction to preserve its status as the group's agency and bar the members from signing advertising contracts, blocking them from acting independently. The members' objection and appeal were also rejected, and the ruling became final in June of that year.

According to the Times, ADOR terminated its contract with member Danielle in December 2025 and filed a lawsuit worth about $22 million, including penalties. NewJeans has not performed on stage for more than a year.

Details, including the contract provisions and expert analysis, are available in the original New York Times article, "Secret Deals Reveal K-Pop's Firm Grip on a Top Girl Group." www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/11/05/world/asia/kpop-newjeans-contract.html