ADOR Lawsuit Against Danielle Marsh and Min Hee-jin Heads to Trial This Month

ADOR's ₩43 billion (approximately $28.7 million) civil lawsuit against former NewJeans member Danielle Marsh, her parents, and former CEO Min Hee-jin is set to begin at Seoul Central District Court on March 26, 2026. The case marks the first courtroom showdown in what has become K-pop's most consequential contract dispute of the decade.

What ADOR Is Seeking

The HYBE subsidiary filed the lawsuit in December 2024, claiming damages related to Danielle's departure from the label. ADOR is also pursuing a separate ₩10 billion (approximately $6.7 million) lawsuit specifically against Min Hee-jin for additional damages. Combined, the two cases total over $35 million in claimed damages.

The lawsuit comes after months of legal maneuvering that saw NewJeans members attempt to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR, only to have Seoul Central District Court rule in October 2025 that their contracts remained valid. Following that ruling, all five members officially returned to ADOR in November 2025, though Danielle's contractual status has since changed.

The Fallout Timeline

The dispute traces back to April 2024, when Min Hee-jin was ousted as ADOR CEO following a power struggle with parent company HYBE. NewJeans members publicly sided with their creative architect, triggering a corporate and legal crisis that dominated K-entertainment headlines for most of 2024 and 2025.

Min Hee-jin, who conceived and launched NewJeans in 2022, has since founded Ooak Records, an independent label preparing to debut a new boy group. HYBE was ordered by Seoul Central District Court in February 2026 to pay her approximately ₩25.5 billion ($17 million) for her put option, a contractual right to sell back her 20% stake in ADOR.

While Min won that shareholder battle, she now faces ADOR's counter-offensive in civil court. The March 26 hearing will establish the procedural framework for what could become a lengthy trial process.

What It Means for NewJeans

NewJeans is currently a four-member group under ADOR following Danielle's departure. Members Minji, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein remain signed to the label, though the group's commercial activity has been limited since the contract dispute began. The outcome of ADOR's lawsuit against Danielle could influence how other K-pop agencies approach contract enforcement and termination disputes.

The trial is being closely watched across the Korean entertainment industry. Major agencies have historically avoided drawn-out civil litigation against former artists, preferring settlements or arbitration. ADOR's decision to pursue maximum damages in open court signals a harder line that could reshape how contract disputes play out industry-wide.