SEOUL, Jan 9 — The battle between ADOR and (former) NewJeans member Danielle has escalated into one of K-pop’s biggest legal showdowns, with the label suing the star for 33.1 billion won after she moved to end her exclusive contract.
As reported by ChosunBiz, the HYBE owned company confirmed its claim covers 30 billion won in penalties and 3.1 billion won in damages, citing cancelled activities and advertising shoots.
ADOR has also filed a separate 10 billion won suit against Danielle’s mother and former ADOR chief executive Min Hee jin, accusing them of contributing to the group’s suspension and delayed return.
An entertainment industry source told ChosunBiz: “Typically, penalty disputes arise when an artist claims a justified termination of an exclusive contract due to unfulfilled settlements or a breakdown of trust, but in this case, the conclusion is that the ADOR–Danielle exclusive contract is valid.”
The source warned that pursuing ad deals or outside work without agency approval would heighten ADOR’s business risks, adding that the real test lies in whether the company can prove the scale of its losses.
ADOR had the option of pursuing up to 100 billion won in claims, based on government contract standards that calculate penalties using average revenue and remaining contract months. But the company scaled back its demand to roughly one third, citing both the likelihood of recognition by the court and Danielle’s potential future earnings.
NewJeans remain ADOR’s only affiliated artists, with the group generating more than 110 billion won in annual revenue in recent years.
