Published on February 15, a TenAsia article titled "NewJeans' Parents Intimidate Journalist by Naming Them... Attempt to Muzzle the Press?", journalism’s core duty is to investigate and report on matters of public interest—a responsibility protected by constitutional guarantees of press freedom. The article criticizes the tactic of publicly disclosing journalists' names, describing it as a method of applying pressure.
The piece also examines the response from the NewJeans members’ parents, who operate under the name NJZ. This rebuttal was issued in reaction to a February 14 article, "NJZ Joins Hands with Bana: Signs of NewJeans Leaving ADOR for Another Agency," in which NJZ categorically denied the allegations by stating, "We would like to clarify that the content of the article is entirely baseless. NJZ has neither signed any contract nor engaged in any discussions with BANA."
Despite this denial, TenAsia referenced several industry insiders who confirmed that "BANA has been coordinating overseas media interview requests for NewJeans members." While this detail raised questions about BANA’s ongoing relationship with NewJeans—given its previous work with the group's producers—the article stopped short of asserting that a transfer was taking place.
The TenAsia editor argued that the agency working with NewJeans is a legitimate subject of public interest and that scrutinizing such industry dynamics falls squarely within the media’s remit. In contrast, the parents of NewJeans threatened vigorous legal action and singled out the journalist involved, accusing them of "spreading false information." Their statement also mentioned unrelated past incidents, though without offering supporting evidence.
Emphasizing the critical role of the media, the editor noted that journalism is not confined to delivering only favorable news. They warned that publishing defamatory content online to tarnish a journalist’s reputation is punishable under the Information and Communications Network Act.
There is an ongoing debate about whether to prioritize the unconditional freedom of articles or to ensure their publication only after factual verification to maintain contextual accuracy.
As the legal battle between TenAsia and NJZ progresses, all eyes are on how the forthcoming court proceedings will influence the narrative and, ultimately, the future direction of TenAsia.
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