Ex-NewJeans member Danielle breaks silence after contract termination: 'I fought 'til the very end'
Former NewJeans member Danielle June Marsh has addressed fans on her situation after record label ADOR had terminated its exclusive contract with her in December.
In a 10-minute livestream on Instagram and YouTube, Danielle briefly touched on the lawsuit filed by ADOR against a member of her family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin for "precipitating" the dispute between the label and the group.
"For the past period, I learned a lot and had to protect a lot of things. The way I see family and the world changed in the meantime," she said in Korean, as translated by the Korea JoongAng Daily.
Danielle said that "a lot of things in the situation are currently being discussed."
"When the time comes, I will update you all about what's happening, about the lawsuit, and about all the things that you are, I guess, curious about," she added.
On her contract termination, the singer stressed that she didn’t give up easily.
"I can say this with confidence—I fought 'til the very end to be together with the members. And that truth stays with me. NewJeans will always stay in my heart," Danielle said.
She went to express her gratitude to her fans for their support during her livestream.
"I want to share the days forward with you, whether it be through music, silence, or small moments. This is only the beginning," she highlighted.
ADOR announced that they had dropped Danielle as a member of NewJeans on Dec. 29, saying that they "determined that it would be difficult to continue together as a NewJeans member and an ADOR artist."
Meanwhile, the agency also had talks regarding the contracts of other members, Hanni and Minji.
Hanni will continue with ADOR, while discussions with Minji are still ongoing.
The dispute between NewJeans and ADOR began in November 2024, when the girl group left the label. Hanni alleged that the members and their staff faced mistreatment.
However, ADOR insisted that their contract remains in full effect and filed an injunction to maintain its status as the managing agency of the girl group.
In March, a South Korean court ruled against NewJeans, while earlier in December, the court decided that the five members' exclusive contracts with ADOR are valid until 2029.
Amid the legal battle, the group changed its name to NJZ and went on hiatus.
NewJeans, composed of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, made their debut in 2022 and became known for hits Super Shy, Hype Boy, OMG, Ditto, and more.
