A New York Times investigation has reported that contracts for the K-pop girl group NewJeans, signed while the members were aged between 14 and 17, did not include protections ordinarily afforded to minors, including guarantees of "sleep, rest and free choice." The group, described as record-breaking, signed the agreements with their label, Ador, while still legally children.
According to the report, portions of the contracts waived or omitted language that would normally safeguard young performers. The omissions have drawn attention because they appear to remove explicit protections intended for minors in entertainment contracts.
NewJeans rose rapidly to international prominence, and the report highlights that their legal agreements were executed at a formative age for the members. The investigation focuses on the contractual terms themselves and the timing of their signature rather than on the performers' current conditions or day-to-day schedules.
The findings come amid broader, ongoing scrutiny of the treatment and legal protections of young artists in the global music industry, where the rights and welfare of minor performers have been the subject of public debate and policy discussion. The New York Times report is the most recent examination to prompt renewed attention to how contracts for teenage entertainers are structured and enforced.