SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — ADOR has announced changes to the lineup of NewJeans, the K-pop girl group, as the HYBE subsidiary continues to address ongoing legal issues with the group.
On Monday, Dec. 29, ADOR said in a statement posted on X that Danielle, one of the original five members, will not return to NewJeans following the label’s court victory earlier this year.
“Having determined that it would be difficult for her to continue as a NewJeans member and ADOR artist, the company notified her today of the termination of her exclusive contract,” the company said, according to an English translation of its Korean-language statement.
ADOR also stated it intends to pursue legal action against a member of Danielle’s family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, saying they bear significant responsibility for the ongoing dispute and delays in the group’s activities.
The announcement comes more than a month after ADOR said Haerin and Hyein would continue working with the company after discussions with their families. On Monday, ADOR said Hanni has also agreed to remain with the group, while Minji is in ongoing discussions about her future with the company.
“Hanni visited Korea with her family and held in-depth, extended conversations with ADOR,” the statement said. “During this process, they reflected on past events and took time to objectively review the situation. At the conclusion of these discussions, Hanni decided to stay with ADOR, respecting the court’s ruling.”
Billboard has reached out to ADOR for additional comment.
Tensions between ADOR and NewJeans have persisted throughout 2024, after the group announced plans to sever ties with the label and release music independently. At the time, the members alleged ADOR breached its contract by firing former CEO Min, who had served as the group’s mentor.
After a lengthy court battle, a judge ruled in favor of ADOR, finding that Min’s termination did not constitute sufficient grounds for the group to void its seven-year exclusive contract.
“We sincerely hope that today’s judgment, which comes after long-term verification of various claims and facts and reaffirms prior rulings, will serve as an opportunity for the artists to calmly reflect on this matter,” ADOR said in a statement following the October ruling.
At that time, ADOR also told fans it had completed preparations for another NewJeans studio album, but said its main goal now is to “fully resolve” any lingering misunderstandings between the band’s members and the public, a process the company said “could take some time.”
“Through these conversations, ADOR came to understand that the members had been exposed to persistently distorted and biased information over a long period, leading to significant misunderstandings about the company and ultimately escalating into this dispute,” the statement said. “The members have agreed to address the various controversies that arose during the dispute at a later opportunity, and discussions on the timing and method are currently underway.”
NewJeans debuted in 2022 and gained international recognition in 2023 with its second EP, “Get Up,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2025, amid the dispute with ADOR, the group began releasing music and performing independently under the name NJZ. ADOR filed a preliminary injunction, and in June, the members were each fined $734,000 for unauthorized activities.
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