NewJeans’ Return to Five-Member Lineup Falls Through Due to Danielle’s Contract Termination... ADOR Announces Legal Action Against Her for “Inciting Conflict”

NewJeans’ plan to return to its five-member lineup has been canceled. ADOR officially announced the termination of Danielle’s exclusive contract on December 29, 2025. After a year-long legal dispute, as members began returning to ADOR one after another, fans who had hoped for the group to reunite in its original formation saw those hopes dashed. Instead of renegotiating the contract with Danielle, ADOR unilaterally ended it. While Minzy, Hanni, and Hyein signed new contracts with ADOR, the company stated that Danielle’s contract could not be renewed. In a statement, ADOR explained, “It was determined that Danielle would find it difficult to continue working as a member of NewJeans and as an ADOR artist.” ADOR claimed that Danielle played a key role in inciting conflicts within the group and delaying NewJeans’ activities. The company officially confirmed its plans to take legal action not only against Danielle but also against her family and former CEO Minhee Jin. ADOR said, “One member of Danielle’s family and former CEO Minhee Jin will be held legally accountable,” adding that lawsuits will be filed regarding conflict initiation, NewJeans’ departure, and the delay in their return. NewJeans has been involved in a legal dispute with its former agency, ADOR, for the past year. After the court ruled in favor of ADOR, the members faced limited options and ultimately chose to return to ADOR due to the legal binding force of their existing contracts. Although Minzy, Danielle, and Hanni engaged in negotiations for a return, in the end, only Danielle’s contract was terminated.