This ruling emphasizes the importance of contracts and will likely influence similar cases in the future.
The trust issues between fans and artists have also been highlighted.
The court has ruled in favor of Adore. The Seoul Central District Court's 62nd Civil Division ordered the Dolphin Kidnapping Group to compensate Adore with 1 billion won for illegally posting content without permission. This lawsuit stemmed from Dolphin Kidnapping Group’s unauthorized release of the director's cut of NewJeans' 'ETA' music video on their YouTube channel in August 2024.
The trial focused on whether this posting violated contract and copyright laws. The court accepted Adore's claims, ordering the Dolphin Kidnapping Group to pay 1 billion won plus 12% annual interest, while dismissing the remaining claims. Adore contended that the video was uploaded without prior consent per the contract, which sparked significant controversy among fans.
While Dolphin Kidnapping Group claimed there was an oral agreement, the court stressed the importance of formal contracts and did not accept this argument. This case has shed light on trust issues between Adore and the Dolphin Kidnapping Group, emphasizing the crucial nature of contracts in the industry.
This ruling is likely to set an important precedent regarding contract violations between Adore and the Dolphin Kidnapping Group. By emphasizing the importance of formal contracts over oral agreements, the court has made it clear that such documentation will be highly valued in similar cases in the future. This is expected to foster trust between management and creators.
Adore's assertion of rights to the NewJeans' video highlights the significant financial impact and the importance of content management within the music industry. Music videos play a critical role in shaping an artist's image and brand, necessitating careful considerations for release timing and content review.
This case also brings to light the trust issues between fans and artists. Fans may be sensitive to the unauthorized release of content, thus communication and transparency between artists and their agencies will likely become increasingly important moving forward.
This article is KOSTAR’s reinterpretation of a story originally reported by TVDaily.
Photo: DB
