🔗 2024-09-09 ADOR Official Statement (Full Text)

Hello. This is ADOR.

In the music video production service contract between ADOR and Dolphiners Films, all rights to not only the music videos but also derivative works are owned by ADOR. Therefore, posting videos containing NewJeans IP on the Dolphiners Films channel without ADOR’s approval is a clear violation of the service contract.

For this reason, ADOR merely conveyed a request along with the contract clauses to Dolphiners Films, stating, “Please provide proof (email, KakaoTalk acceptable) that there was agreement and approval regarding the permission to use copyrights and artist portrait rights, or if there is none, it is correct to take down the ‘Director’s Cut’.” Protecting the artist’s works is a natural duty that a label must perform. If there are matters Dolphiners Films agreed upon with ADOR, they simply need to present them. In a state where we have not received any grounds regarding the content, ADOR has no choice but to follow principles to protect the artist’s works.

It is also a clear fact that ADOR received a request regarding the posting of NewJeans’ ‘ETA Music Video Director’s Cut’ produced by Dolphiners Films to “delete the parts reflecting the advertiser’s brand or take down the video.” (The image below is the Slack message reported internally at the time)

ADOR has never told Dolphiners Films to delete videos uploaded to the Ban Heesoo channel. The Ban Heesoo channel is an account created by an ADOR member in accordance with our ‘Guidelines for Opening Online Channels.’ ADOR merely proceeded with a fact-checking procedure regarding the ‘ETA Music Video Director’s Cut’ video to protect the artist’s copyright, and has never mentioned the Ban Heesoo channel. ADOR also does not want the Ban Heesoo channel to disappear. It is fine for Dolphiners Films to operate the channel. You just need to abide by what was promised through the contract regarding the artist’s works.

Overreacting to the pointing out of Dolphiners Films’ contract violations and deleting all content does not seem like an action stemming from a creator’s pure agony, nor an action for NewJeans and the fans. We hope there will no longer be acts of holding the YouTube channel hostage to increase the anxiety of the artist and fandom.

We express our apologies to NewJeans members and Bunnies for causing concern with unnecessary controversy. ADOR will strive to resolve this issue as quickly as possible based on the exact facts.

Thank you.

Urgent Report Regarding ‘ETA MV Director’s Cut’
Date: September 1, 2024

[Member Name Redacted] (2:32 PM)

Subject: [Urgent: Regarding ETA MV Director’s Cut Upload]

[Member Name Redacted] Hello, [Name Redacted]. I am writing because the “Dolphin Kidnappers” (production studio) account has uploaded a video titled “ETA MV Director’s Cut,” which includes the MV ending that the [Redacted] side had originally requested to exclude.

We received an urgent contact from the [Redacted] US Headquarters stating that we need to take measures, such as taking down the video or re-uploading it after removing all of [Redacted]’s branding.

This is content I was not aware of, so I am asking if there was any information shared with you beforehand.