Director of NewJeans' music videos sues ADOR CEO for defamation

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Director of NewJeans' music videos sues ADOR CEO for defamation

Published: 08 Nov. 2024, 15:08 Updated: 08 Nov. 2024, 16:02

ADOR CEO Kim Ju-young at the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee on Oct. 15 in western Seoul. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Shin Woo-seok, the music video director of girl group NewJeans' hit songs, has pressed charges against ADOR CEO Kim Ju-young for defamation, according to local media on Friday.

Shin filed a lawsuit against Kim and ADOR Vice President Lee Do-kyung, claiming that they violated the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection by forcing him to delete his company's work for NewJeans then blaming him for doing so in the press.

Shin directed music videos for many of NewJeans' top hits, including "Ditto" (2022), "ETA" (2023) and "OMG" (2023), and has been running "Ban Heesoo," a YouTube fan channel for the group.

The brawl between Shin and ADOR began as part of the longstanding conflict with the newly appointed CEO Kim and other board members of ADOR and NewJeans. Shin claimed that he was requested to delete some of the videos that feature NewJeans by the ADOR executives.

Director Shin Woo-seok [DOLPHINERS FILMS]

ADOR denied the allegations, stating that it requested that Shin remove only the "director's cut" version the "ETA" music video over which it had a conflict with a sponsor.

Shin alleged that ADOR was lying to the public while trying to persuade him behind his back, using him as a tool to distort the situation.

Girl group NewJeans [NEWS1]

The conflict between NewJeans and ADOR is still intensifying as the group and former CEO Min Hee-jin are calling for Min's reinstatement.

Min sought to be reinstated as CEO, arguing that her dismissal violated her shareholder agreement with HYBE and contradicted a previous court decision from May 30 that prohibited the exercise of voting rights to remove Min as CEO.

The Seoul Central District Court dismissed Min's request on Oct. 29.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]