ADOR Wins $681,000 Damages Lawsuit Against Dolphiners Film Over NewJeans Content

The high-stakes legal battle over NewJeans’ creative assets has reached a definitive conclusion. On January 13, 2026, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR in its damages lawsuit against Dolphiners Film and director Shin Woo-seok.

Court Orders Dolphiners Film to Pay ₩1 Billion KRW

The court ordered Dolphiners Film to pay ADOR a total of ₩1.00 billion KRW (approximately $681,000 USD), plus a 12% annual late interest fee. While ADOR had initially sought ₩1.10 billion KRW, the court's decision largely upholds the label's claims regarding contract violations and copyright infringement.

Copyright Ownership vs. Creative Autonomy

The dispute ignited in August 2024 when Director Shin Woo-seok alleged that ADOR’s management shift led to a forced deletion of NewJeans content. Dolphiners Film claimed the new policies restricted their artistic distribution, including the popular 'ETA' director's cut.

However, ADOR maintained that the contract clearly stated all intellectual property rights belong to the label. They argued that the unauthorized posting of edited versions violated agreements with advertisers and compromised artist rights. After four trial sessions, the judiciary confirmed that the right to control the distribution of NewJeans’ media rests solely with ADOR.