Many took to social media with the slogan: “NewJeans is five or nothing, while others questioned why Danielle was singled out.
“Does this make any sense??? NewJeans without Danielle isn’t NewJeans. Do you think you can just erase a member this easily? Give us back Danielle,” one wrote in an X post.
“It’s not fair at all. Free NewJeans [all 5 members],” another wrote on Instagram. “All they wanted to do was to be [artists] and make their fans happy.”
NewJeans, which became the eighth biggest-selling act in the world a year after their debut in 2022, were seen as a game-changer by critics for their blend of 1990s R&B and sugar-coated pop melodies.
Then came a dramatic fallout with Ador in 2024, sparked by the controversial dismissal of the agency’s former CEO Min Hee-jin, whom NewJeans regarded as a mentor.
The move shook the K-pop world, setting off a battle between hugely successful and very young stars – they are between 17 and 21 years of age – and a South Korean entertainment giant, Hybe, which owns Ador.
NewJeans accused Ador of “mistreatment” and “deliberate miscommunications and manipulation”, then announced they would leave the agency. Ador in turn launched a lawsuit blocking their departure, which it won in October this year. A district court ruled that NewJeans must honour their contract with the label which runs until 2029.
A month later, local media reports indicated that all five members would return to the agency.