With Minji still in negotiations with the agency.
On Monday, December 29, Korean music label ADOR announced the status of its contracts with members of the K-pop group NewJeans.
The company, in a statement, said that following a court ruling that affirmed the validity of the members’ contracts with the agency, ADOR held “extensive discussions” with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, and their respective families.
Hanni, who was reported to be in a vacation amid the development, “visited Korea with her family and engaged in long, in-depth conversations with ADOR,” the statement read as reported by entertainment website Soompi.
“In the process, we revisited past events and took time to view matters objectively. After candid talks, Hanni decided to respect the court’s ruling and continue with ADOR,” it added.
The other member, Minji, is currently still in talks with ADOR, with discussions being held to “broaden mutual understanding” between both parties.
Prior to this, in November, their two other teammates, Haerin and Hyein, are already confirmed to be resuming activities under the agency.
DANIELLE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP
The company then proceeded to disclose the status of its relationship with Danielle. It wrote, “[in] Danielle’s case, we determined that it would be difficult to continue together as a NewJeans member and an ADOR artist, and today we notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract.“
In addition to that, ADOR also plans to pursue legal action against a member of Danielle’s family, as well as the agency’s former CEO Min Hee Jin, whom they directly stated as persons who bear “significant responsibility for precipitating this dispute,” as well as for NewJeans’ departure and delayed return.
“Through these conversations, ADOR learned that, over a long period, the members had been continuously exposed to distorted and biased information, which led to many misunderstandings about the company and ultimately to this dispute,” it continued.
Following that, the company and artists are said to be of mutual agreement that “to regain the love of fans and the public,” it is necessary go dispel these misunderstandings based on facts.
“We have also agreed to find an opportunity to address the various controversies that arose during the dispute and are discussing the timing and manner,” the agency added.
Lastly, “ADOR will do its utmost to bring this matter to an amicable conclusion and to ensure that NewJeans can return to fans as soon as possible.“
NEWJEANS
NewJeans made their debut in 2022 and became an instant sensation for their hit singles like Attention, OMG, Hype Boy, Ditto, and Super Shy.
In May 2024, they made their last comeback as five members with How Sweet, which is the title track of its namesake single album.
In November 2024, they called an emergency press conference, where they included their demand of Min’s reinstatement, but HYBE, which is the parent company of the label, rejected their request. Around that time, Hanni also narrated the company’s alleged mistreatment towards her.
However, a Seoul court ultimately junked their case against HYBE last October, leading to the members’ return to discussion table with the agency.
