NewJeans to Reorganize as a Four-Member Group; Danielle’s Exit and Minzy’s Return Still Uncertain

More than 3 years and 6 months after their Debut, NewJeans will now operate as a four-member group instead of five. ADOR has notified Danielle that her exclusive contract will be terminated. Since it remains unclear whether Minzy will return to ADOR, the possibility of the group being reorganized into a three-member unit cannot be ruled out.

NewJeans engaged in legal battles for about a year starting in November 2024 after demanding the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR and deciding to pursue independent activities. The court ruled in favor of ADOR, after which reports emerged indicating the members’ desire to return to the agency. Haerin and Hyein first announced their intention to return to ADOR, followed by Hanni confirming her return as well.

However, ADOR shocked everyone last month on the 29th by announcing the termination of Danielle’s contract. The agency stated, “Given that Danielle is both a NewJeans member and an artist under ADOR, it was determined impossible for her to continue working together.” It also added that it intends to hold legal action against one member of Danielle’s family and former CEO Min Hee-jin for their significant role in causing the dispute and delaying Danielle’s departure and return.

Since their Debut, NewJeans has achieved massive success with every single release, including “Attention,” “Hype Boy,” “Super Shy,” “Bubblegum,” and “Ditto,” generating phenomenon-level popularity. But after just over 2 years, conflicts with ADOR led to the complete suspension of all official activities such as new song releases. During this time, public opinion, which was once favorable toward NewJeans, cooled significantly, and the members faced considerable criticism.

Although fans still demand Danielle’s return, the chances of her joining the group again are practically slim. ADOR has expressed the need to address public resentment and fully resolve misunderstandings, stating, “We plan to provide further explanations regarding various controversies that arose during the dispute based on the accurate facts.”

Since ADOR has already completed all preparations for activities such as the release of a regular album, NewJeans’ Comeback cannot be delayed much longer. It is expected that the group will begin preparing to resume activities once the fates of all members are decided. How the reorganized NewJeans will regain public trust and carry out their activities remains a topic of interest.