DANIELLE of NewJeans has had her exclusive contract with ADOR terminated and is now at the center of a lawsuit seeking damages in billions.
On the 30th, ADOR filed a civil suit against DANIELLE, one of her family members, and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, seeking approximately 43.1 billion won in damages. The case was assigned to the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 31, which is also handling disputes between HYBE and Min over the termination of a shareholders’ agreement and a related put option. A first hearing date has not yet been set.
Legal observers had speculated that a penalty solely against DANIELLE could reach the 100 billion won range. ADOR’s filing, however, targets DANIELLE along with a family member and Min, requesting 43.1 billion won in total―an amount the label frames as tied to actual losses rather than a maximum penalty.
ADOR announced on the 29th that it had notified DANIELLE of her contract termination, citing multiple breaches, including signing agreements that conflicted with her exclusivity, conducting activities independently, and damaging the reputation and credit of ADOR and NewJeans. The company said it demanded corrective action but received none within the set deadline, eroding trust beyond repair.
ADOR also named DANIELLE’s family member and Min Hee-jin as responsible parties in the dispute, arguing they precipitated the conflict and bear significant responsibility for New Jeans’ exit from ADOR and any delay in their potential return. The company submitted claims for penalties and damages against all three.
Within NewJeans, ADOR says HAERIN and HYEIN decided to return to the label following court guidance, and HANNI recently conveyed her intention to come back after discussions with her family. MINJI is reportedly still in talks with the company.
According to ADOR, misunderstandings accumulated over time as the members were exposed to “distorted and biased information,” ultimately fueling the dispute. The label says it plans to address those misunderstandings and explain the controversies that emerged along the way, though the timing and format are still under consideration. ADOR added that it aims to resolve the situation swiftly so NewJeans can reunite with fans as soon as possible.
DANIELLE has not issued a detailed response to the lawsuit. In the meantime, she was recently seen volunteering alongside singer Sean.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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