NEWJEANS fans slam HYBE as ADOR plans legal action against Danielle after terminating her contract

NEWJEANS

• ADOR terminates Danielle's contract and pursues legal action against her family
• Fans express heartbreak over Danielle's removal from NewJeans
• Hanni has returned to ADOR, while Minji is still in negotiations

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NewJeans’ future has once again been thrown into uncertainty after ADOR announced the termination of Danielle’s contract and confirmed it is pursuing legal action against the former member. The decision comes just weeks after fans believed the five-member group — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, was on the path to reconciliation following a prolonged legal battle.

The optimism stemmed from ADOR’s earlier statement suggesting that discussions with all five members had progressed, with each expected to return to the agency. That hope, however, proved short-lived.

In a detailed official statement, ADOR said it would “take legal measures against members of Danielle’s family and former CEO Min Hee Jin, who hold grave responsibility not only in our conflict with NewJeans but also in the members’ delayed return to the agency.”

The announcement sparked intense reactions from NewJeans’ fandom, Tokkis, many of whom expressed disbelief and heartbreak over Danielle’s removal. One fan wrote, “I know this is just Twitter, and it’s never that deep, but I’m actually crying about Danielle. I know I don’t know her, and she doesn’t know me, but her energy in NewJeans is just so crucial, like every other member. I really love her so much.”

Others accused HYBE of “separating a family,” pointing to the group’s famously close bond.

i know this just twitter, and it’s never that deep. but i’m actually crying about danielle, and i know idk her and she don’t know me. but her energy in newjeans is just crucial, like with any other member, and i really like mhdhh… so i’m sorry if i get in my feelings abt her pic.twitter.com/ljaQjtwCNi

— inactive (@nwjnsev) December 29, 2025

newjeans without danielle feels illegal... pic.twitter.com/kqnoJNdEMu — njz. (@archivenewjns) December 29, 2025

there is no newjeans without danielle are they crazy pic.twitter.com/T8wV6NLVfC

— ۟ (@ningvinyl) December 29, 2025

The label further alleged that the members had been “fed continuous and twisted information about the company over an extended period of time,” which it identified as the core reason the dispute escalated. Despite this, ADOR claimed it had initially aimed for reconciliation.

“We agreed that we would need to take the chance to sort out all misunderstandings, even if it takes a long time, in order to fully restore the love from the fans and the public,” the agency stated, adding that it plans to disclose further details of the dispute at a separate event.

ADOR also confirmed that Hanni has officially returned to the agency, while Minji remains in negotiations. Haerin and Hyein had already resumed activities under ADOR following the Seoul court’s ruling earlier this year.

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The conflict began in November 2024, when all five members publicly declared their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts, citing a breakdown of trust following the removal of former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. The group briefly operated independently under the name NJZ.

However, on October 30, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in ADOR’s favour, confirming that the exclusive contracts remained legally binding and blocking independent activities.