The appeal in a damages lawsuit between ADOR and advertising production company Dolphiners Films, which produced several music videos for NewJeans, will resume in July.
The Seoul High Court’s Civil Division 5-3 will hold the first hearing in the appeal on July 9. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by ADOR against director Shin Woo-seok and Dolphin Kidnappers seeking 100 million won (approximately $73,000).
In the first trial, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Dolphin Kidnappers must pay ADOR 1 billion won (approximately $730,000) plus interest for damages. The court also allowed the judgment to be provisionally enforced before all appeals are exhausted. However, the court dismissed ADOR’s damages claim against director Shin Woo-seok personally.
Both sides appealed the ruling, sending the case to a higher court. Dolphin Kidnappers has also filed a request to suspend enforcement of the judgment.
Under South Korean law, provisional enforcement allows the winning party to begin collecting damages even before a judgment becomes final. The system is designed to prevent losing parties from filing appeals solely to delay payment. In monetary disputes, courts commonly attach provisional enforcement orders to judgments.
However, the losing party can request a stay of enforcement. Courts often grant such requests if the appellant provides financial security, such as a cash deposit or a surety bond.
Dispute Began Over NewJeans’ “ETA” Director’s Cut
The conflict began in August 2024 when Dolphin Kidnappers uploaded a director’s cut version of NewJeans’ “ETA” music video to its YouTube channel.
After ADOR requested that the video be removed, director Shin Woo-seok responded by taking down additional NewJeans-related videos that had been uploaded to the unofficial fan channel “Ban Hee-soo Channel,” escalating tensions between the two sides.
ADOR maintained that it only requested the removal of the “ETA” director’s cut and never demanded that all NewJeans-related videos be deleted or suspended.
“The claim that we requested the removal of all NewJeans content is false,” ADOR said at the time, accusing Shin of spreading misinformation.
Shin subsequently filed a complaint alleging that ADOR’s public statements damaged his reputation. ADOR later pursued its own damages lawsuit based on its claimed ownership of the video content.
Min Hee-jin Testified for Dolphiners
During the trial, former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin testified as a witness and supported Dolphiners Films’ position.
Min stated that verbal approval had been given in advance for the separate publication of the “ETA” director’s cut. Despite her testimony, the court ultimately ruled in ADOR’s favor.
NewJeans Members Have Since Gone Their Separate Ways
The dispute comes against the backdrop of NewJeans’ broader legal battle with ADOR.
In November 2024, the group announced that it was terminating its contracts with the company, citing alleged failures by ADOR to fulfill its obligations. After months of litigation, a South Korean court ruled in favor of ADOR in the agency’s lawsuit seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts remained valid.
Since then, three members — Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni — have returned to ADOR. Minji is reportedly continuing discussions regarding a possible return.
Danielle, however, was formally notified of her removal from the company and remains separate from ADOR.
