NewJeans Lawsuit, Danielle Faces $31M Lawsuit After Refusing to Return—Here’s What Happened

In November 2024, all five NewJeans members tried to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR (a HYBE subsidiary) after the company fired their beloved CEO Min Hee-jin in August 2024, claiming the agency had breached the contract and could no longer be trusted to protect them. The Seoul Central District Court ruled against them in October 2025, finding that Min’s dismissal didn’t constitute a contract breach and that the group must remain with ADOR until their contracts expire in 2029. 

While four members eventually agreed to return, ADOR terminated Danielle’s contract in December 2025 and filed a $31 million damages lawsuit against her, one of her family members, and Min Hee-jin, claiming they were responsible for the rebellion and delays. The case highlights what Forbes called “the latest in a long line of K-pop lawsuits” showing the power imbalance between young artists and entertainment giants in Korea’s music industry.

Imagine signing a seven-year contract when you’re a teenager, becoming one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, then watching the one person who believed in you from day one get fired—and when you try to leave, the company drags you to court and wins.

That’s the NewJeans story. And it just took an even darker turn.

When “Ditto” and “Super Shy” Stopped Being Fun

In July 2022, five young women—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—debuted as NewJeans under ADOR, a brand-new subsidiary of entertainment giant HYBE (the company behind BTS).

Their sound was fresh. Sleek, playful K-pop with underground club influences from producers like Erika de Casier and experimental pop duo Smerz. Visually striking. Critically acclaimed.

Within months, they were being compared to BLACKPINK and BTS as potential global crossover stars. “Attention,” “Hype Boy,” “Ditto,” and “Super Shy” became massive hits.

But behind the scenes, their entire world revolved around one person: Min Hee-jin, ADOR’s CEO and the creative mastermind who’d nurtured them from trainees to superstars.

Then in August 2024, HYBE fired Min after accusing her of trying to steal NewJeans and take ADOR independent.

The members were devastated. In their minds, ADOR without Min wasn’t ADOR at all.

The Press Conference That Started Everything

On September 11, 2024, NewJeans did something almost unheard of in K-pop: They held a surprise YouTube livestream and publicly demanded Min be reinstated, or they’d leave.

They accused HYBE management of workplace harassment, leaking their private trainee photos and videos, deleting previously released content, and failing to protect member Hanni from bullying by a HYBE executive.

“ADOR does not have the will or ability to protect NewJeans,” they said in the livestream, according to Soompi’s translation. “If we remain here, it will be a waste of our time, and our mental distress will continue.”

HYBE offered to bring Min back as a producer but refused to reinstate her as CEO.

So on November 28, 2024, NewJeans held another emergency press conference and announced they were terminating their exclusive contracts, effective immediately.

“Telling us to return to ADOR and HYBE is like telling the victim of school bullying to return to the same school and endure it,” the members wrote in a petition cited by their lawyers, according to The Korea Times.

They compared the situation to “a mother who raised us being kicked out, while the abusive father tells us to come back, promising to bring in a better mother.”

ADOR’s Response: See You in Court

ADOR’s response was swift and brutal: “A unilateral claim that trust has been broken does not constitute valid grounds for termination of a contract.”

In December 2024, the company filed a lawsuit seeking judicial confirmation that the contracts remained valid and requested an injunction preventing the members from pursuing independent activities.

The stakes were enormous. NewJeans wanted to rebrand as “NJZ” and operate independently. They even performed at Hong Kong’s ComplexCon in March 2025 under the new name.

But ADOR wasn’t having it. The court granted an injunction barring them from independent work and imposed a penalty: Each member would have to pay 1 billion won (approximately $725,600) to ADOR for every unauthorized activity.

That’s not a typo. Nearly three-quarters of a million dollars per violation, per member.

The message was clear: You can’t afford to leave.

The Court Ruling That Crushed Their Rebellion

On October 30, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court handed down its decision.

NewJeans lost. Completely.

The court ruled that ADOR’s dismissal of Min Hee-jin “did not constitute a violation of its exclusive contract with the girl group.”

“It is difficult to conclude that ADOR breached the exclusive contract solely on the grounds of Min Hee-jin’s dismissal,” the court wrote. “The fact that Min was removed from her position as CEO does not in itself mean that a managerial vacuum was created or that ADOR became incapable of fulfilling its contractual obligations.”

The court also rejected every other claim NewJeans raised:

The leaked trainee videos? Not a breach.
The alleged bullying comments from a HYBE executive toward Hanni? Not a breach.
Min’s public campaign against ADOR supposedly protecting NewJeans? The court said her actions “were not for the purpose of safeguarding the group.”

The ruling stated that while “forcing an entertainer to continue activities against their will could infringe on personal rights,” disagreements over management or creative decisions after gaining success “cannot be viewed as violations of those rights caused by contractual coercion.”

Translation: You signed a seven-year contract. You’re stuck until 2029.

The court also warned that allowing contract terminations based on “broken trust” could set dangerous precedents and lead to problems like poaching—entertainment companies luring successful artists away from competitors by creating discord.

The Decision That Tore NewJeans Apart

After losing the lawsuit and facing financial penalties that made independent work impossible, the members had to make a choice.

On December 12, 2025, the two youngest members—Haerin and Hyein—announced they were returning to ADOR.

On December 30, 2025, Hanni also agreed to return after “in-depth, extended conversations with ADOR,” according to the agency’s statement.

Minji is still in talks with the company, and those discussions are reportedly “proceeding positively.”

But Danielle? She refused.

And ADOR responded by terminating her contract and filing a 43.1 billion won ($31 million) lawsuit against her, one of her family members, and Min Hee-jin.

The agency said it had “determined that it would be difficult for her to continue as a NewJeans member and ADOR artist” and formally notified her of contract termination on December 29, 2025.

ADOR stated it would “pursue legal accountability against one member of Danielle’s family and former CEO Min Hee-jin, who bear significant responsibility for causing this dispute and for the delays in NewJeans’ departure and return.”

The $31 Million Question: What Did Danielle Actually Do?

Here’s what’s wild: ADOR hasn’t publicly detailed which specific actions Danielle took that allegedly violated her contract or damaged the company’s reputation.

Some of her public activities in the past year included attending a charity marathon with its accompanying sponsor night and other quasi-public appearances. But nothing screams “$31 million in damages.”

Legal experts suggest the lawsuit is strategic. It sends a message to other artists: If you fight us, we will destroy you financially, even if you’re a beloved member of one of Korea’s biggest girl groups.

The lawsuit was assigned to Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 31—the same division that handled the high-profile legal clash between HYBE and Min Hee-jin.

No hearing date has been set yet.

Why K-Pop Contracts Are Nearly Impossible to Break

To understand why NewJeans couldn’t escape, you need to understand how K-pop contracts work.

In 2009, three members of boy band TVXQ sued SM Entertainment over 13-year contracts they claimed were exploitative. The following year, South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission created a rule limiting entertainment contracts to seven years maximum.

That’s why NewJeans’ contracts run from 2022 to 2029—the legal maximum.

But here’s the catch: Just because contracts are limited to seven years doesn’t mean they’re fair.

K-pop trainees sign contracts as young as 12 or 13. Agencies spend years—sometimes a decade—training them in singing, dancing, language, and public appearance before they ever debut. Trainees live in company-controlled dormitories where their diets, relationships, and behavior are monitored.

Under most contracts, trainees and debuted idols must pay back the agency for all training costs, wardrobe, living expenses, and production costs before they see any profits. This “trainee debt” can take years to clear.

For NewJeans to terminate their contracts early, they would have to pay ADOR approximately 300 billion Korean won (roughly $200 million USD) in penalties.

No artist has that kind of money lying around.

The Pattern Forbes Documented: Danielle’s Dispute Is Far From Unique

Forbes noted that Danielle’s situation is “the latest in a long line of K-pop lawsuits” exposing systemic power imbalances in Korea’s entertainment industry.

TVXQ vs. SM Entertainment (2009): Three members sued over 13-year “slave contracts.” Led to the 7-year maximum rule.

LOONA vs. Blockberry Creative (2021-2024): All members won multiple lawsuits terminating their contracts after the agency failed to pay them and allegedly engaged in workplace abuse.

B.A.P. vs. TS Entertainment (2014): Six members filed suit claiming unfair profit distribution. They settled and returned in 2015, but the group eventually disbanded.

Omega X vs. Spire Entertainment (2022-2023): Members won contract termination after videos leaked showing serious management abuse. Public outrage helped save their careers.

EXO-CBX vs. SM Entertainment (2023): Three members sued over profit transparency. Settled with SM, allowed to do solo work while remaining in EXO.

The pattern across 15 years shows consistent judicial outcomes: Courts enforce exclusive contracts unless agencies demonstrably breach material obligations.

Artists who challenge contracts face significant legal barriers, financial exposure, and career suspension.

As one legal analysis noted: “Whether Danielle’s case proceeds to trial or settles, the outcome will likely reinforce existing precedent: Exclusive contracts in Korea’s entertainment industry remain legally enforceable even when the relationship between artist and agency has seemingly deteriorated beyond repair.”

What the Court Actually Said About Artist Rights

The Seoul Central District Court’s ruling included language that sounds sympathetic to artists but ultimately reinforced agency power.

The court acknowledged that “forcing an entertainer to continue activities against their will could infringe on personal rights.”

But it immediately qualified that statement: Disagreements over management or creative decisions after an artist gains success don’t qualify as violations.

The court also expressed concern about setting industry precedents that could enable poaching—suggesting that protecting corporate interests outweighed individual artist autonomy.

An industry insider quoted by The Korea Times put it this way: “Korea’s entertainment industry was built on a system where agencies nurtured and trained artists from the ground up, which in the past made artists end up on the vulnerable side. But as K-pop has gone global, artists have gained more leverage and a greater ability to speak out. Companies can no longer impose one-sided terms and both parties now go through extensive negotiations before signing contracts.”

The insider added: “Since these agreements are legally binding, any unilateral breach leads to lawsuits. When disputes arise, all parties must respect the court’s decision once it’s been finalized.”

Translation: The system might be broken, but contracts are contracts.

Min Hee-jin’s Role: The Puppet Master or Protector?

ADOR and HYBE have consistently portrayed Min as the villain who manipulated NewJeans into rebelling.

During court proceedings, HYBE questioned Min about messages she exchanged with a shaman that included the phrase “let’s take it back after three years.” Sent around March 2021 before ADOR was even established, HYBE cited this as evidence Min always planned to seize control.

Min also confirmed during testimony that BANA—an ADOR partner company—was run by her former romantic partner. HYBE argued contract renewals increasingly favored BANA, claiming it received 33 million won per month even without active work.

Min countered that BANA was retained because of competence and performance.

But NewJeans members saw Min differently. In July 2024, Danielle wrote a letter to Min calling her “Mom” and a “warrior,” showing deep personal loyalty.

After Min resigned from ADOR in November 2024, she launched a new entertainment agency called OK (later Ooak Records), signaling efforts to restart her career outside HYBE’s structure.

Min’s separate legal battles with HYBE continue, including shareholder disputes worth an estimated 26 billion won ($17.57 million), defamation lawsuits, and damages claims totaling billions.

What Happens Next for NewJeans and Danielle

January 2026: ADOR’s $31 million lawsuit against Danielle begins discovery, depositions, and damages calculations.

Q1 2026: Minji’s return status likely finalized (she’s expected to return based on “positive” ongoing talks).

Mid-2026: NewJeans potentially resumes activities as a four-member group (Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein).

2026-2029: Min Hee-jin’s lawsuits against HYBE continue separately.

2029: NewJeans’ contracts expire—members will finally be free to leave.

Danielle’s future: If she loses the lawsuit, she could owe ADOR substantial damages. She’s effectively banned from K-pop activities until 2029 unless she settles or wins on appeal.

For fans who waited months hoping for clarity, the ending arrived quietly and incompletely. NewJeans will likely continue as a four-member group. Danielle faces financial ruin and career exile.

And the K-pop industry’s power structure? It remains exactly as it was.

The Trust That Can’t Be Rebuilt

Here’s what no court ruling can fix: the destruction of what NewJeans claimed was the foundation of their success—trust.

The members said they couldn’t create authentic art under ADOR without Min. They compared returning to the agency to victims returning to bullies.

But the court said those feelings don’t matter legally. Contracts are contracts.

ADOR released a statement saying: “We sincerely hope that today’s judgment will serve as an opportunity for the artists to calmly reflect on this matter. We are committed to re-emphasizing our role and responsibilities as NewJeans’ management agency. We have completed preparations for the artist’s activities, including the release of a studio album, and are waiting.”

But how do you “calmly reflect” when your friend is being sued for $31 million? How do you record an album with a company you publicly compared to an abusive parent?

South Korean law classifies K-pop idols as independent contractors, not workers—meaning they lack basic labor protections available to most employees.

If NewJeans, one of the biggest K-pop groups at the time, couldn’t escape, how are smaller groups supposed to advocate for themselves?

The Bottom Line

The NewJeans lawsuit exposed the harsh reality of K-pop contracts: Once you sign, you’re locked in until the seven-year clock runs out or you pay penalties that would bankrupt most people.

Four members accepted defeat and returned to ADOR. Danielle refused and now faces a $31 million lawsuit.

Forbes documented this as the latest chapter in a long pattern of K-pop legal disputes where artists almost always lose when challenging agencies in court.

The precedent is clear: Exclusive contracts in Korea’s entertainment industry remain legally enforceable even when relationships completely break down.

For now, NewJeans faces an uncertain future as a potentially four-member group. Danielle faces years of legal proceedings. And Min Hee-jin continues fighting HYBE separately.

The only certainty? In 2029, when those contracts finally expire, whatever’s left of NewJeans will be free.

Whether there’s anything left to salvage by then remains to be seen.

Key Takeaways:

• NewJeans tried to terminate contracts in November 2024 after ADOR fired CEO Min Hee-jin; court ruled against them in October 2025
• Contracts remain valid until 2029; members must pay $725,600 per violation for unauthorized activities
• Four members (Haerin, Hyein, Hanni, likely Minji) are returning to ADOR
• ADOR terminated Danielle’s contract and sued her for $31 million in damages
• Forbes noted this is “the latest in a long line of K-pop lawsuits” showing the industry’s power imbalance

Resources:

• NewJeans Contract Dispute Timeline: Multiple court rulings 2024-2025
• Forbes Coverage: “Danielle’s Dispute Is The Latest In A Long Line Of K-Pop Lawsuits”
• Korea Fair Trade Commission Entertainment Contract Rules
• Seoul Central District Court Rulings on K-pop Contract Disputes

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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