ADOR reportedly files ₩43.1 billion lawsuit against NewJeans member Danielle and Min Hee-jin

ADOR has filed ₩43.1bn damages lawsuit linked to the NewJeans contract dispute, assigned to existing Seoul court case

ADOR has filed a damages lawsuit seeking approximately ₩43.1 billion against NewJeans member Danielle, her family and former ADOR chief executive Min Hee-jin, with the case now assigned to the Seoul Central District Court.

According to legal sources on the 30th, the lawsuit has been assigned to the 31st Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Central District Court, overseen by Judge Nam In-soo. The court is already handling multiple related disputes involving HYBE and Min. A date for the first oral hearing has not yet been set.

The lawsuit follows a series of legal conflicts that began after the members of NewJeans demanded the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin, who had been dismissed amid an internal dispute with HYBE. When the request was rejected, the group declared the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR in November last year.

ADOR responded by filing a lawsuit seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts remained valid, arguing that the termination declaration was unilateral. The court ruled in ADOR’s favour, confirming the validity of the contracts.

Following that decision, NewJeans members Haerin and Hyein announced last month that they would return to ADOR. Minji, Hanni and Danielle also stated their intention to return, and discussions continued regarding their status. ADOR subsequently terminated Danielle’s contract and filed the damages lawsuit.

The same court division is also handling HYBE’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of termination of its shareholder agreement with Min, as well as a ₩26 billion put-option lawsuit filed by Min and related parties against HYBE.

HYBE maintains that the shareholder agreement had already been terminated when Min attempted to exercise the put option, while Min’s side disputes this claim. The validity of the put option remains a central issue in the ongoing litigation.