Danielle’s Legal Team Accuses ADOR of Intentionally Delaying Court Case to Waste Her Idol Career

Entertainment agency ADOR has officially altered the financial scale of its ongoing damages lawsuit against former NewJeans member Danielle and former CEO Min Hee-jin. According to music industry reports on June 5, 2026, the label adjusted its total financial compensation demand, lowering the amount from the original 431 billion won (~$31.3 million USD) to 33.09 billion won (~$24.1 million USD).

A New Legal Team and a Restructured Court Case

Explaining the reasoning behind this sudden financial adjustment, an official representative from ADOR stated:

“A new legal representative has been appointed to the case. After carefully analyzing the existing lawsuit files, they completely restructured the claims. Consequently, the total compensation amount has been adjusted and changed. Moving forward, we intend to continuously reinforce our arguments and present further evidence as the litigation progresses.”

This restructuring comes shortly after five attorneys from Kim & Chang, the prominent law firm previously representing ADOR, submitted their resignation notices in April 2026. Following their departure, the court held its very first formal hearing for the massive lawsuit on May 14, 2026.

During that opening trial, Danielle’s legal team fiercely criticized ADOR’s long-term legal strategy, raising serious concerns over the label’s intentions:

• The Defense’s Stance: Danielle’s representatives argued that regardless of whether ADOR wins or loses, the company appears intent on dragging the lawsuit out as long as possible. They claimed ADOR’s true goal is to force Danielle to waste her bright, peak years as an idol caught inside exhausting legal disputes.
• The Plaintiff’s Response: Conversely, ADOR’s newly appointed legal team firmly denied these accusations. They clarified that the agency has absolutely no intention of hindering Danielle’s career and has no objections to her continuing her independent activities in the entertainment industry.

The court has officially scheduled the next formal hearing for this high-stakes trial on the afternoon of June 11, 2026.

The Current Status of the NewJeans Members

The intense corporate conflict initially tracing back to late 2025 has significantly shifted the landscape of NewJeans. On December 29, 2025, ADOR announced that after thorough, private discussions, members Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni officially decided to return to the agency. Minji chose to continue having conversations with management to build mutual understanding.

However, ADOR formally terminated Danielle’s exclusive contract, stating it was no longer possible for her to remain part of the company. ADOR then launched the massive 43.1 billion won lawsuit against Danielle, her family member, and Min Hee-jin, blaming them for causing the internal group rift and delaying the return of the other members.

Following her departure from the agency, Danielle reached out directly to her fans via social media to share her personal thoughts, writing: “Over the past months, I have learned a massive amount and had so many things to protect. While many surrounding situations are still being actively organized, I can say this one thing with absolute clarity: in a corner of my heart, NewJeans will always remain.”