NewJeans Danielle Contract Terminated, ‘Full Group’ Hopes Dashed Reorganization into 3-4 Member Inevitable


As of December 29, 2025, ADOR officially notified member Danielle of the termination of her exclusive contract, making a full 5-member NewJeans comeback effectively impossible. Here is a summary of the confirmed legal outcomes so far, the status of each member, and the future direction of the group’s activities.
1. Reasons for Danielle’s Contract Termination and Breakdown of Negotiations
ADOR notified Danielle of the contract termination, determining that the relationship of trust could no longer be sustained. The main reasons for the breakdown are as follows:
- Attribution of Responsibility: ADOR judged that Danielle’s family (mother) and former CEO Min Hee-jin bear significant responsibility for this dispute, the members’ departure, and the delay in their return.
- Legal Action Expected: Beyond a simple contract termination, the company announced plans to hold Danielle’s side and former CEO Min Hee-jin legally accountable, including seeking damages for causing the dispute.

2. Diverging Paths of Members: ‘3 Returning + 1 Negotiating’
Excluding Danielle, the remaining members are either returning to ADOR or engaged in positive discussions, leaving the group in a divided state.
- Confirmed Return (3 Members):
- Haerin, Hyein: Already decided to return to ADOR last month (November).
- Hanni: On December 29, after long discussions, she made the final decision to return to ADOR, respecting the court’s ruling.
- Currently Negotiating (1 Member):
- Minji: She is currently in talks with ADOR and is known to be going through a process of mutual understanding for her return, though her official return is not yet finalized.


3. Future Outlook: 3-Member or 4-Member System?
Under the current circumstances, it is highly likely that NewJeans will be reorganized into a 3-member system (Hanni, Haerin, Hyein) or a 4-member system, depending on the results of Minji’s negotiations.
- Possibility of Recruiting New Members: Currently unlikely. ADOR stated, “We will do our best so NewJeans can return to the fans,” which is interpreted as a will to stabilize the team centering on the existing (returning) members. They seem to be choosing stability over drastic member changes.
- Danielle’s Path: Danielle, whose contract was solely terminated, is predicted to go her own way or join former CEO Min Hee-jin. However, a rough road lies ahead due to the anticipated large-scale lawsuit for damages with ADOR.

sources: News1 / Newjeans members are interviewing on courts.
4. Recent Court Rulings (As of 2nd Half of 2025)
The lawsuit filed by NewJeans members against ADOR ended in a complete defeat for the NewJeans side.
- Injunction to Suspend Exclusive Contract (March 2025): The court stated, “It is difficult to view the responsibility for the breakdown of trust as lying entirely with the agency,” and dismissed (total loss) the members’ application.
- Lawsuit to Confirm Invalidity of Exclusive Contract – 1st Trial (October 2025): In the main lawsuit, the court ruled that “The exclusive contract between ADOR and NewJeans is valid.” It deemed that ADOR’s lack of support or the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin could not constitute grounds for contract termination.
- Order Prohibiting Activities: The court decided that since the contract is valid, if members engage in independent activities (e.g., using the team name NJZ) without ADOR’s permission, they must pay a massive amount in damages per occurrence. Consequently, the members practically raised the white flag and chose to return.
Ultimately, as the court sided with ADOR, the members who saw no further benefit in the lawsuit chose to return. However, Danielle, who maintained a hardline stance, faces a tragic ending of leaving the team alone.


































