K-pop label ADOR files damages suit against ex-NewJeans member

The move came after a court ruled in October that the NewJeans's five members must honour their contracts with ADOR, whose parent company HYBE is also behind K-pop sensation BTS.

The stars made headlines in November 2024 when they announced their decision to leave ADOR, prompting the company to request an injunction barring them from any commercial activities. That request was granted in March.

The label on Monday announced that Danielle's contract was terminated as it was "determined that it would be difficult for her to continue as... an artist under ADOR".

"Compensation suits have been filed against Danielle, a member of her family, and the group's former producer Min Hee-jin," an ADOR spokesperson told AFP on Tuesday, without elaborating.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the total amount sought from the three individuals amounts to nearly 43.1 billion won ($30 million).

In their Monday statement, ADOR said the band's former star producer Min bears "significant responsibility for causing this dispute and for NewJeans's departure and delayed return", along with the unspecified family member of Danielle.

According to the label, three of the group's four remaining members have decided to stay with ADOR, while Minji is still in talks with the company.

NewJeans, which made its debut in 2022, is among HYBE's most successful acts.

The dramatic contractual dispute erupted last year following allegations that HYBE had forced out the band's former producer, Min, from her role as ADOR's CEO.

NewJeans members later issued an ultimatum demanding Min's reinstatement, which HYBE rejected.

The members then went public with their grievances, alleging the company had deliberately undermined their careers.

Band member Hanni claimed last year that the band had endured mistreatment, including "deliberate miscommunications and manipulation" while working with the label.

But the Seoul Central District Court in October rejected NewJeans's claims that the allegations had caused an "irreparable breakdown of trust" with ADOR.

ADOR this week alleged that the group's members had been "receiving distorted and biased information for a long period of time", leading to many misunderstandings about the company.