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| ▲ Girl group NewJeans' Hanni (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Girl group NewJeans' Danielle (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Girl group NewJeans meets the press at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on March 7, 2025, after attending a hearing to review an injunction that the group's agency, ADOR, has filed to prevent the group's five members from independently signing advertising contracts amid an ongoing dispute over their exclusive contracts with the agency. (Yonhap) |
NewJeans member-contract dispute
NewJeans' Hanni to stay with ADOR; Danielle's contract terminated: agency
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- K-pop label ADOR said Monday that NewJeans member Hanni will remain with the company, while fellow member Danielle has been notified of the termination of her contract.
Hanni, who has been embroiled in a long-running dispute over her exclusive contract with the agency, decided to continue activities under the agency after a court sided with the label in the conflict with NewJeans members.
The company said she had "chosen to respect the court's ruling" and stay on its roster.
But the company delivered notice of contract termination to Danielle on Monday, concluding that it would be difficult to work with her as a NewJeans member and as one of its artists.
The label also signaled further action, announcing plans to pursue legal responsibility against one of Danielle's family members and former ADOR Chief Executive Min Hee-jin, whom it accuses of playing a key role in triggering the dispute and delaying the group's return.
The five-member act had previously challenged ADOR, calling for the reinstatement of Min, who was removed from her post in November last year following a bitter power struggle with the label's parent company Hybe. The members later argued that their contracts had already been nullified due to alleged breaches by ADOR, while the label insisted the agreements remained valid and sought court confirmation, as well as an injunction to bar the group from pursuing independent activities. Courts rejected the members' arguments and backed ADOR in both the injunction proceedings and the main legal case.
Following the legal setbacks, members Haerin and Hyein recently expressed their intention to return to the agency, with Hanni, Minji and Danielle later indicating similar positions.
ADOR said talks with Minji are ongoing, adding that both sides are engaged in continued discussions aimed at broadening "mutual understanding."
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