NewJeans Hope for Reunion Belied as ADOR Files Lawsuit Against NJZ Danielle

Immensely popular K-pop girl group NewJeans is witnessing its first heartbreak as NJZ Danielle is no longer part of the group. In a recent shuffle of events, ADOR has officially terminated NJZ Danielle exclusive contract, highlighting the difficulty of working with her. ADOR also accused one of her family members and the former ADOR ceo, Min Hee-jin, of misguiding NJZ Danielle and other band members, causing a potential dispute between the K-pop idols and the agency.

According to the BBC, HYBE is going to sue NJZ Danielle, one of her family members, and Min Hee-jin for $30 million in damages and breaking the exclusive contract with the agency. Till now, Haerin, Hayein, and Hanni have joined the ADOR, respecting the court order and, in turn, their exclusive contracts with the label. However, with NJZ Danielle’s official termination of the contract and Minji’s return to ADOR remaining uncertain, NewJeans’s return as an even four-member group looks shady.

What’s the whole point?

NewJeans was a K-pop girl group including five members of Haerin, Hyein, Hanni, Danielle, and Minji under the music label ADOR with creative head Min Hee-jin. The ouster of former ADOR ceo Min Hee-jin after an audit by the parent company HYBE was the primary trigger, supported by a lack of creative freedom and trust issues. In November 2023, NJZ members and their lawyers moved to terminate their contract, which then resulted in multiple court hearings through a long, drawn-out timeline of 2024 and 2025 before it all ended on October 30, 2025. Seoul District Central Court ruled in favour of ADOR, citing that exclusive contracts of all the NJZ members stand valid with the music label ADOR.

NEW Jeans Members Return to ADOR: A Full Timeline of Events

The Seoul Central District Court also rejected the fact that the dismissal of Min Hee-jin is a violation of their exclusive contract. Following the court order, Haerin and Hyein officially returned to ADOR as part of the K-pop girl group NewJeans and accepted their exclusive contract with ADOR till 2029. In a recent update, Hanni visited Seoul with her parents to discuss her contract with the agency, and has officially announced to join NewJeans back under the guidance of ADOR. However, Minji is in talks with the management, and her comeback remains uncertain. This is the whole story till now involving NewJeans, ADOR, and Min Hee-jin.

Why NJZ Danielle Singled Out?

Does this make any sense? NewJeans without Danielle isn’t NewJeans. Many K-pop fans have the same reaction when they hear Danielle has exited NewJeans with the official termination of her exclusive contract with ADOR. K-pop fans used to call her the “Vitamin D” of the group for her bright and energetic presence on-stage as the main vocalist and off-stage as a playful member. Seeing her important position in the girl group NewJeans, why was only NJZ Danielle singled out by the music agency, ADOR?

Full Text of ADOR’s Official Statement

Following the finalization of the court ruling confirming the validity of the exclusive contracts, ADOR has held numerous discussions with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, and the families of the three members.

Hanni visited Korea together with her…

— 1tokki (@juantokki) December 29, 2025

ADOR released a statement that, “we have determined that it will be difficult for her to continue working with us. Therefore, we have notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract. Furthermore, we plan to hold one family member of Danielle and former CEO Min Hee Jin, who are significantly responsible for causing this dispute and the delayed return of NJZ, legally accountable.”

ADOR Confirms Contract Termination of NJZ’s Danielle
byu/Heartstrings_ inkpopthoughts

It continued, “During the conversation, ADOR learned that the members had been receiving distorted and biased information for a long time, leading to various misunderstandings about the company. The company and the artist agreed that, to restore the love of the fans and the public, it would take time to resolve the misunderstandings completely. Furthermore, we have decided to take the opportunity to address the various controversies that arose during the dispute, and we are currently discussing the timing and method.” Following this, ADOR filed a compensation suit against NJZ Danielle, her family member, and Min Hee-jin.

NJZ Heads to Court Over ADOR Contract: The K-Pop Saga Shaping the Industry

Will ADOR win the Lawsuit?

HYBE has reportedly filed a compensation lawsuit against three people: NJZ Danielle, a family member, and former ceo Min Hee-jin for $ 30 million. However, it will not be an easy task for the label to win over its counterpart. Here are reasons for supporting the argument.

• Burden of Proof: The burden of proof is on the prosecution, which is ADOR. The music label would need to justify the breach of specific clauses of the contract and give evidence of quantifiable financial loss as a result of NJZ Danielle’s activities in the past. It would be difficult for the agency to furnish such documents as the court will require such evidence making the case weaker for ADOR.
  
• Breaking Mutual Trust: According to the South Korean Entertainment Law, exclusive contracts between two parties can only be terminated as a result of broken mutual trust. However, NJZ Danielle was ready to join the label after the court ruled the ADOR contract to be valid and fair on October 30, 2025, but ADOR unilaterally terminated the contract, which may raise questions around the legality of the decision.
  
• Correction Period: Since Korean law is evolving, precedent matters the most. According to past precedent, management agencies must grant a 14-day correction period before terminating the K-pop idol contract, and if ADOR has straightforwardly terminated the NJZ Danielle’s exclusive contract, it can raise eyebrows on its procedural legality and may be declared void as well.
  
• Lawsuit Against Family: ADOR has also clarified that it suspects active involvement of one of her family members and filed a compensation lawsuit. In such a case, ADOR has to furnish evidence related to the family member’s active involvement in preventing NJZ Danielle’s return to the group. Given Danielle’s desire to return, it may get more complex to spot a direct link between the family’s contact and damages to contractual clauses.

The big picture is yet to be uncovered, as K-pop fans are slamming ADOR for terminating NJZ Danille’s exclusive contract, making it even more difficult for NewJeans’ comeback as a five-member group to the K-pop scene. As of now, the case again went to Seoul Central District Court as ADOR has filed a compensation suit, and who will win the legal battle in the court is yet to be seen.