Source Music, the agency behind LE SSERAFIM, has issued a strong response to NJZ’s recent claims of unfair treatment by HYBE, particularly criticizing the group’s mention of LE SSERAFIM during a legal hearing. The agency firmly denied any preferential treatment towards LE SSERAFIM and labeled NJZ’s accusations as “irresponsible and serious misconduct.”
On March 7, Source Music released an official statement through their social media channels to address what they describe as misinformation being spread about their agency and artists. This statement comes in reaction to claims made by NJZ’s legal team during a court hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court earlier that day. The hearing was part of ADOR’s request for an injunction to prevent NJZ members from engaging with other agencies.
NJZ’s legal representatives argued in court that a series of issues had plagued them between 2023 and 2024. These issues, they claimed, included HYBE’s alleged manipulation of media, plagiarism accusations against ILLIT, the supposed exclusion of NJZ from important company plans, and conflicts with external business partners.
According to NJZ’s side, these challenges were unique to them within HYBE, and they specifically pointed to what they felt was discriminatory treatment when compared to LE SSERAFIM. They highlighted the initial plans for NJZ to be HYBE’s first girl group, which they said was a key factor in Min Hee Jin joining the company.
NJZ’s representatives stated,
HYBE initially planned for NJZ to debut as the company’s first girl group. This expectation played a key role in Min Hee Jin joining HYBE. However, after NJZ completed their debut evaluation in March 2021, HYBE neglected them until September of the same year. Meanwhile, Source Music recruited Sakura, Kim Chaewon, and Huh Yunjin and debuted LE SSERAFIM first without any prior explanation.
Furthermore, NJZ’s representatives brought up the issue of brand ambassadorships, alleging further discrimination.
Hyein was chosen as the ambassador for a specific brand, but later, LE SSERAFIM was also appointed as ambassadors for the same brand without prior consultation with NJZ. Upon verification, the brand admitted that HYBE had directly requested this and assumed that NJZ had been informed in advance. They subsequently apologized for the misunderstanding.
In response to these assertions, Source Music directly addressed the brand ambassador issue, clarifying that LE SSERAFIM did not receive any undue advantages. They explained that Sakura had established an individual contract with the brand in April 2022, and the success of this initial collaboration led to discussions about expanding it to include the entire LE SSERAFIM group through the brand’s Japanese operations.
Source Music stated,
LE SSERAFIM did not receive any preferential treatment or unfair advantages in the process of being appointed as brand ambassadors. The relationship with the brand began in April 2022 when Sakura signed an individual contract with them. The brand was satisfied with the collaboration, which led to discussions about expanding the partnership to the entire group through the Japanese branch of the brand. This process was entirely independent and had no connection to any other artist.
The agency also asserted they possess “objective evidence” to back their statements and are ready to provide legal explanations if needed. Countering NJZ’s claims about their debut process, Source Music maintained that they had fully supported NJZ’s debut preparations until the group’s transition to ADOR was finalized. They further mentioned that Min Hee Jin had previously spread false information during a press conference in April of the previous year, leading Source Music to file a lawsuit against her in July, which is still ongoing.
Source Music conveyed their disappointment in NJZ’s statements, noting the lack of fact verification before making such claims.
We deeply regret that such one-sided claims have been made without any effort to verify the facts. We expect the ongoing legal proceedings to rectify these baseless allegations.
The agency particularly criticized the decision to name LE SSERAFIM in the hearing.
Publicly naming an artist based on unverified and inaccurate claims is an irresponsible and serious act that should never happen to any artist. Such unilateral allegations not only subject fellow artists to unwarranted criticism but also mislead fans and the public, fostering an environment where baseless accusations can thrive.
Source Music concluded their statement by firmly declaring their intention to pursue all necessary legal actions to correct the record and address the situation.
We take this situation extremely seriously and will take all necessary legal actions to set the record straight.
