With ADOR announcing it has terminated DANIELLE’s exclusive contract and plans to take legal action, attention now turns to MINJI’s next move. If MINJI returns, NewJeans could move forward as a four-member act; if not, a three-member lineup is on the table.
The rift behind ADOR’s fallout with DANIELLE has prompted a flurry of theories. On the 29th, ADOR said it terminated the deal due to “contract breaches, including entering conflicting agreements, conducting independent entertainment activities, and actions damaging the reputation or credit of the company and NewJeans,” adding that a cure period lapsed without resolution.
ADOR did not specify incidents. Those details are expected to surface if the dispute heads to court. Some in the industry speculate DANIELLE may have pursued activities without routing through ADOR, which could constitute a violation. NewJeans previously lost a legal challenge over their contracts with ADOR, so any solo moves made without company approval could be problematic under the agreement.
YouTuber and entertainment reporter Lee Jin-ho claimed on his channel that DANIELLE allegedly filmed a snack commercial in Southeast Asia without going through ADOR, and that involvement of DANIELLE’s side may have contributed to misunderstandings during communications between ADOR and HANNI, a foreign member, and HANNI’s family. These claims have not been independently verified.
HANNI’s situation, meanwhile, has taken a turn. She previously appeared at a National Assembly audit and made remarks critical of HYBE, prompting speculation she had aligned with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin amid their feud. ADOR now says HANNI revisited the issue during a lengthy conversation with her family present, respects the court’s ruling, and has decided to continue with ADOR.
That leaves MINJI as the wild card. She has publicly shown discomfort with ADOR in the past, suggesting a deep rift. While ADOR says it remains in talks with MINJI “to broaden mutual understanding,” insiders note that if negotiations stall, a three-member NewJeans is a real possibility.
Separately, Min Hee-jin is suing HYBE over the exercise of a put option, seeking roughly 26 billion won related to a share purchase. HYBE has countersued Min and two associates to confirm termination of their shareholders’ agreement.
Min argues HYBE must buy her stake under the agreement, while HYBE says the put option is invalid due to non-compete violations. At the heart of the legal fight: whether Min’s put option stands―and whether she breached the non-compete clause.
Photo: Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)