A court decision has been made that if the girl group NewJins engages in independent activities without the consent of their agency, Audor, they will have to pay compensation of up to 5 billion KRW per member, totaling 10 billion KRW. The Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Conciliation Division 52 cited Audor’s indirect coercion request on the 29th, ordering NewJins, “Until the first-instance ruling on the validity of the exclusIVE contract, no entertainment activities should be carried out without the prior consent of the agency.” It also specified that a compensation of 10 billion KRW per violation would be imposed if this obligation is breached. This significant judicial decision comes amid escalating disputes over the exclusIVE contract between NewJins and Audor. NewJins had declared the termination of their exclusIVE contract last November, citing Audor’s breach of contractual obligations. However, the Seoul Central District Court accepted Audor’s injunction request in March this year, ruling that “the grounds for contract termination are not recognized” and acknowledging Audor’s position as the planning agency. In this decision, the bench pointed out, “Considering that NewJins released a new song under a different group name during overseas performances, there is a high possibility of future independent activities,” emphasizing the need for indirect coercion. Prohibited acts include musician activities, broadcast appearances, and advertising contracts, encompassing all entertainment activities. While all NewJins members attended the initial trial, they did not participate in the main argument. This case is being interpreted as an extremely unusual high-value indirect coercion decision in the entertainment industry. Although the impact of this case on the K-POP and Hallyu market is uncertain, it is expected that interest in industry regulations and issues related to contracts between agencies and artists will increase as contract disputes become publicly highlighted.