Ador, Danielle trade sharp arguments in damages trial

Ador, the agency suing NewJeans member Danielle for damages, and Danielle's legal team clashed again in court Thursday.

Ador's attorney told Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 31, presided over by Judge Nam In-su, that Danielle "committed serious contract violations independently, unlike the other members."

The attorney presented text message exchanges between former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and others sent shortly after a court injunction in March last year barred NewJeans from pursuing independent activities, using the messages to support the claim.

In those exchanges, Min was shown to have mentioned that Danielle was planning to feature on a song by an American band and shoot a music video, and that money had already been committed to the project.

"It is clear that she had no intention of honoring the exclusive contract even after the injunction was issued," Ador's attorney said. The attorney added that Ador notified Danielle of contract termination in December last year after learning of the matter belatedly and concluding it could no longer continue the relationship.

The attorney also questioned whether the members themselves had made their own decisions during the contract breakdown, saying Danielle's mother "played a significant role in the unlawful conduct" — which is why the lawsuit names her mother and Min as co-defendants alongside Danielle.

Danielle's attorney pushed back, saying the team "believed the contract with Ador had been lawfully terminated" when the collaboration with the American band was being discussed. "Claiming that Danielle alone acted illegally over peripheral matters and that it is impossible to work with her is a false argument," the attorney said.

Danielle's side also renewed its accusation that Ador is using the damages suit to block Danielle's entertainment career. "The penalty amount Ador is claiming comes to nearly 100 billion won ($72.5 million)," the attorney said. "What agency would take on an artist with that kind of damages liability hanging over them?"

The court scheduled an additional hearing for July 2.

The NewJeans members had demanded the reinstatement of Min, who was dismissed amid a conflict with parent company Hybe, among other conditions. When those demands went unmet, the members declared in November 2024 that Ador had breached their exclusive contracts and began pursuing independent activities.

Ador filed suit in December of that year to confirm the contracts remained valid and sought an injunction to halt the members' independent activities. The court granted the injunction in May last year and then ruled in Ador's favor in the first-instance trial on the merits in October.

When the NewJeans members chose not to appeal, the ruling became final, and the members subsequently announced one by one their intention to return to the group.

Ador, however, terminated its contract with Danielle in December last year, saying it could no longer have her as a NewJeans member, and filed a damages suit against her seeking approximately 43.09 billion won ($31.2 million). Danielle's mother and Min are also named as defendants.

The suit seeks to hold them legally responsible for Danielle's departure from NewJeans and the delay in her return. Ador later adjusted the claimed amount to approximately 33.09 billion won ($24 million).

Of the current NewJeans members, three — excluding Minji and Danielle — have been confirmed to return to Ador. Minji is reportedly still negotiating the specific terms of her return.

젠슨황이 밝힌 엔비디아 채용 조건 “똑똑한 사람 흔해. 가장 중요한 건 인간성”

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