The legal battle between former NewJeans member Danielle and ADOR is taking another turn, with the future of the group’s activities becoming a major point of contention in court.
At a hearing in Seoul on September 10, lawyers for Danielle challenged ADOR over its plans for NewJeans, arguing that the agency’s ability to actually produce and manage the group’s activities should be examined as part of the ongoing lawsuit.
ADOR is seeking approximately 33 billion Korean won (about $23 million) in damages from Danielle, her family member and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
During the latest hearing, Danielle’s legal team argued that ADOR has yet to present a concrete plan for NewJeans’ future activities, despite several members having returned to the company.
Her lawyers questioned whether ADOR’s production capabilities could be partly responsible for the group’s prolonged hiatus.
“If the lack of activities is due to ADOR’s production capabilities, the scope of Danielle’s alleged liability could be different,” her legal representatives argued in court.
ADOR strongly disputed that claim.
The company maintained that NewJeans does have plans to resume group activities, but argued that the process has been delayed because of the dispute involving Danielle.
ADOR also rejected the suggestion that it was legally required to provide Danielle’s side with detailed plans for the group’s future activities in advance.
The court subsequently suggested that financial records could provide evidence of ADOR’s preparations for NewJeans’ activities. If the company’s accounting records contain expenses related to preparing for group promotions, those records could potentially be considered during the court-appointed financial examination.
The court also raised concerns about confidential business information, as the parties involved are closely connected to the same entertainment industry. A proposal was made to allow Danielle’s accounting representatives to review relevant documents while sensitive information remained protected.
The latest hearing is part of a much larger dispute that began in late 2024.
NewJeans members previously announced their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR after former CEO Min Hee-jin stepped down from her position as an inside director.
However, the members subsequently suffered legal setbacks, including the rejection of an injunction and an unfavorable ruling in the main contract dispute.
Several members later returned to ADOR. Hae-rin and Hye-in returned in November 2025, followed by Hanni in December. Minji has continued discussions with the agency over the terms of her potential return.
Danielle’s situation is different. ADOR ultimately terminated her exclusive contract, and the agency is now pursuing damages against her and other defendants.
With NewJeans’ future activities still uncertain, the court’s handling of the damages lawsuit could have significant implications for both Danielle and the group.
The next hearing is scheduled for October 20 at 3:30 p.m. in Seoul.