New Delhi: K-pop fans were left shocked on Monday after ADOR, the label behind hit girl group NewJeans, announced that member Danielle Marsh has been dropped from the group and her exclusive contract has been terminated.
The decision comes amid ongoing legal battles between NewJeans members and the agency, with the company now also preparing legal action against one of Danielle’s family members and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
Danielle Marsh has been dropped from ADOR NewJeans girls’ group
ADOR announced on December 29 that it has ended its contract with Danielle Marsh, following months of dispute that had already gone to court, as reported by South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper. In its official statement, the agency said, “Following the final court ruling confirming the validity of the exclusive contract, we have had extensive discussions with Minji, Hanni, Danielle Marsh, and their families.”
The label revealed that member Hanni had travelled to the Republic of Korea with her family for “in-depth discussions” with the company. “After sincere conversations, Hanni decided to respect the court’s decision and continue with ADOR. Minji is also in talks with ADOR, and both sides are working to deepen their mutual understanding,” the statement added.
However, ADOR said it reached a different conclusion regarding Danielle’s future in the group. “In Danielle Marsh’s case, we determined it would be difficult for her to continue as a member of NewJeans and as an artist under ADOR, so we notified her today of the termination of her exclusive contract,” the company said.
The agency further announced that it plans to pursue legal action against one of Danielle’s family members and former CEO Min Hee-jin. It said those individuals “bear significant responsibility for causing this dispute and delaying NewJeans’ return,” and vowed to hold them “legally accountable.”
ADOR also tried to reassure worried fans about the group’s future. “Both the company and the artists agreed that, although it may take some time, it is necessary to fully resolve misunderstandings based on accurate facts to regain the love of fans and the public. ADOR will do its utmost to settle the matter amicably and ensure NewJeans can return to their fans as soon as possible,” the statement concluded.
NewJeans debuted in 2022 with the single Attention and quickly became one of K-pop’s most talked-about groups. The act originally consisted of five members – Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein and Danielle – and was formed by ADOR, with production led by Min Hee-jin.