🔗 2025-03-28 Sing Tao Daily, NJZ Caught in Injunction Storm — Why Were They Still Able to Perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong? Legal Experts Break Down the Key Factors

NJZ Caught in Injunction Storm — Why Were They Still Able to Perform at ComplexCon in Hong Kong? Legal Experts Break Down the Key Factors

“Super March” is filled with major events one after another. Today, the International Rugby Sevens moves to Kai Tak for the first time, serving as the inaugural test for the Sports Park’s main stadium. Besides the Rugby Sevens, the event that has attracted the most international attention recently was ComplexCon, held last week at AsiaWorld-Expo. The Korean girl group NewJeans (now renamed NJZ), embroiled in a contract dispute, delivered the closing performance in Hong Kong and publicly premiered a new song for the first time. Unexpectedly, immediately after the performance, they announced that they would temporarily suspend all activities out of respect for the relevant ruling by a South Korean court, greatly surprising fans worldwide, who worried that this debut performance might turn out to be their “swan song.”

NJZ Temporarily Barred from Commercial Activities by Seoul Court
NewJeans rose to global fame immediately upon their debut in 2022, but the five members accused of suffering mistreatment announced the termination of their contract with Korean agency ADOR in November last year. ADOR subsequently filed a lawsuit in response and obtained a temporary injunction from a Seoul court in March this year, prohibiting NJZ from engaging in commercial or entertainment activities under their new group name. This occurred just half an hour before ComplexCon Hong Kong opened. However, despite bearing the pressure of the contract dispute, NJZ still took the ComplexCon stage last Sunday and completed their performance.

Organizer Not Bound by South Korean Court Ruling
It is understood that the ComplexCon organizer had intended to invite NewJeans to participate in their first Hong Kong event last year but was unable to make it happen. Later, when NewJeans announced their split from ADOR, the organizer resumed contact and successfully arranged this collaboration. However, after the South Korean court issued the temporary injunction, the organizer also faced considerable pressure, with some challenging the organizer’s decision to continue allowing NJZ to perform based on the injunction. In fact, unless ADOR obtains a corresponding order from a Hong Kong court, the organizer, as a non-South Korean operating entity, is not bound by South Korean court rulings. The organizer also coordinated with NJZ to ensure they could take the stage as scheduled, reassuring the audience.

ComplexCon is a globally renowned pop culture event that brings together music, fashion, and art, and NJZ’s performance became the biggest highlight of the event. Legal experts believe that the organizer was able to firmly resist legal coercion largely due to the “confidence” provided by Hong Kong’s legal system and judicial independence. Under Hong Kong law, foreign court rulings must be reviewed by Hong Kong courts before they can be enforced locally. This not only protects the legitimate rights and interests of local businesses and individuals but also provides clear legal boundaries for international event organizers, allowing them to make definitive decisions when facing cross-border disputes. This stability and predictability are core considerations when selecting venues for international events.

The legal expert also noted that judicial independence and transparency are Hong Kong’s golden calling cards, providing stable legal protections for commercial activities while also creating a relatively free performance environment for international artists. This case is believed to boost the confidence of major event organizers in hosting major events in Hong Kong.

The current government is vigorously promoting the mega events economy. With support from the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund, it has successfully brought ComplexCon to Hong Kong for two consecutive years. The succession of major events held in Hong Kong also reflects that organizers of large-scale international events are not affected by various unfair criticisms of Hong Kong from Western media. Government insiders say that ComplexCon’s successful hosting amid the girl group’s contract dispute highlights Hong Kong’s unique judicial advantages and reflects that the direction of promoting the mega events economy is correct. Through capital investment and policy guidance, the government has successfully attracted international mega events, enhancing economic vitality and international influence. They also noted that the NJZ incident has given a shot of confidence to organizations hosting cultural and sports events in the future, making them more confident in bringing exciting events to Hong Kong, this international stage.