December 30, 2025 | 07:55 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An HYBE subsidiary, ADOR, has announced the termination of the exclusive contract with NewJeans member, Danielle, in the aftermath of a legal dispute since November 2024. Discussions between the agency and NewJeans have been ongoing following a court decision last October, which stated that the five members must honor their exclusive contracts with ADOR until 2029.
ADOR stated that Hanni will rejoin the agency, while Minji is still in the negotiation phase. "But the agency concluded that it would be difficult for Danielle to continue as part of the group or with the agency," ADOR said as quoted from The Straits Times on Monday, December 29, 2025. Meanwhile, Haerin and Hyein had earlier officially announced their return to ADOR in November 2025.
ADOR Accuses Danielle's Family as the Source of Conflict in NewJeans
The agency also urges legal accountability from Danielle's family, along with former CEO of ADOR, Min Hee Jin, who is deemed to have played a role in sowing discord that led to prolonged legal disputes with ADOR. "Today we informed her (Danielle) of the termination of her exclusive contract," it said as quoted from The Korea Times.
According to ADOR, discussions with the members revealed that they had long been exposed to "distorted and biased information," which led to misunderstandings about the agency. "After the court's decision, we have had many conversations with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, and their families," the label said in a statement. "Hanni, together with her family, visited Korea and discussed with us. Through sincere dialogue, she decided to stay with ADOR, honoring the court's decision."
With Hanni's confirmed return, ADOR said the other three members are on the right track to continue their activities. However, Danielle's departure and the unresolved status of Minji make a full group reunion seem unlikely for now.
"We agree with the artists that in order to regain public trust and fan support, it is important to clarify the facts and resolve misunderstandings, even though the process takes time," ADOR said.
Not only has Danielle been removed from the group, but the Australian-born woman is also likely to face a very hefty penalty from ADOR's decision to terminate her contract.
Severe Penalty Threatens Danielle
As reported by Koreaboo, industry and legal experts estimate that the penalty Danielle may have to bear could reach a staggering 100 billion won or approximately Rp1.1 trillion. This estimate is based on standard K-Pop contract calculations, which often take into account the company's average earnings over the past few years multiplied by the remaining contract period.
After Danielle's dismissal from ADOR, netizens speculate that the 20-year-old woman may potentially join THEBLACKLABEL. As quoted from Koreaboo, this speculation arose from observing Danielle's recent activities with actor Park Bo Gum and Sean. This theory emerged because there was a previous case when actor Im Siwan decided to join THEBLACKLABEL after running together with Park Bo Gum and Sean.
Read: ADOR Terminates Danielle NewJeans' Contract, Moves to Sue Her Family Member
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