Famous Lawyer Who Was A Fan Criticizes NewJeans: “Ignoring Court Ruling and Making Anti-Korean Remarks, Time to Wake Up”
On March 23, lawyer Ko Sang-rok from the law firm Phil, formerly of Kim & Chang, expressed concerns over NewJeans’s recent TIME magazine interview.
Ko, who had previously criticized HYBE during NewJeans’s first press conference last September, stating that “A great company should not treat artists as mere commodities” is known among online communities as a dedicated NewJeans fan. However, after seeing their first foreign media interview following the court’s ruling, he voiced deep concerns.
In a post on his YouTube channel, Ko stated, “If they adopt such an attitude right after the court’s decision, they won’t be able to avoid criticism for lying, attacking fellow artists, and demonizing others as a way to challenge industry or corporate injustices.”
He continued, “Looking at my own experience, industries like IT and law – whether it’s Samsung or Kim & Chang – have many issues. But if you benefited from and had opportunities within these systems, your criticisms should come from a place of gratitude and pride as a member of the industry to have real credibility.”
Ko emphasized that those who have had the opportunity to rise within an established system have a duty to respect the efforts of those who built it. “If you truly seek reform, you must uphold fundamental principles – respect for seniors and colleagues, and a willingness for self-sacrifice. If you lack the commitment or simply want to do whatever you please while making unlimited money, then at least honor your contract and leave the organization at the right time to start your own venture – just as I and many others have done. Even Michael Jordan isn’t bigger than the NBA, and Newton and Einstein aren’t greater than physics itself. We all stand on the systems built through the efforts of those before us.”
He criticized NewJeans’s approach, stating, “You cannot claim to improve and develop the system by insulting, defaming, and demonizing it.”
Ko also pointed out, “Initially, they sided with Min Hee-jin to attack the parent company, then turned against other labels and artists. Now, they’re dismissing the entire industry, disregarding the court’s decision, and making anti-Korean remarks, portraying Korea as a shameful society. What’s their next step? Since ignoring contracts and legal action didn’t work, they ran to the National Assembly. Now that this, too, has failed, they have gone to a major Western media outlet known for critiquing K-pop’s training system, using words that align with that perspective, portraying themselves as martyrs.”
He concluded, “Their own lawyer’s court submission exposed all their lies. Just because the interview is in English and published in a foreign media outlet, it won’t cover up the truth. It’s time to wake up. I still want to believe this was a mistake. For their sake, I hope they at least maintain a minimal level of integrity so that people, including myself, can still help them.”
Background on the Legal Dispute
Previously, NewJeans stated, “We respect the court’s decision,” but in their TIME interview, they said, “We are disappointed by the ruling.”
On November 28, 2024, the five NewJeans members held an emergency press conference, declaring the termination of their contracts with ADOR, claiming that the agency lacked the will and ability to protect them. ADOR, in turn, filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of the contracts.
However, on March 21, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR, granting the agency’s injunction. The ruling stated, “The members must not engage in entertainment activities independently or through third parties without ADOR’s prior approval.”
The court also determined that NewJeans had not provided sufficient evidence that ADOR had seriously violated their contractual obligations or that their trust in the company had been irreparably damaged.
Following this, in their TIME interview, NewJeans stated, “We were disappointed by the ruling, but we never expected the K-pop industry to change overnight. Compared to everything we’ve been through, this is just another step in our journey. This is the reality of Korea. But that’s exactly why we believe in the need for change and growth. Korea seems to want to turn us into revolutionaries.”
The next hearing regarding the validity of NewJeans’s contracts is scheduled for April 3.