NewJeans Singer Danielle's Contract Was Terminated With the K-Pop Girl Group Amid Controversy

When the all-girls K-pop group NewJeans came out in 2022, fans were ready for the nostalgia factor that the four ladies brought due to the early 2000s feel of the music and style. Flash forward to about three years after the group was formed, and founding member Danielle is out. So, why was Danielle kicked out of NewJeans? It all stems from drama that began when the group's founder was let go.

ADOR, the South Korean record label, is responsible for the group's success, but so is Min Hee-jin, who brought the women together. And, after rumors began swirling about Danielle finding success on her own, which undermined her contract with ADOR, things got messy. Now, Danielle is no longer part of NewJeans. But the details surrounding her exit are what fans really want to know now.

Despite all of the members of NewJeans standing behind former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin when she was let go by parent company HYBE, Danielle was kicked out of the group, and her contract was terminated by HYBE executives. According to Forbes, ADOR released a statement about the turmoil that had surrounded NewJeans and noted that, for Danielle at least, it would be too "difficult" to allow her back into the group. One of her relatives was accused of delaying the process to get the NewJeans members back together.

The issues that the company and label faced involved Min being let go from the company well before the NewJeans members decided to try and branch out from HYBE and continue as independent artists. When Min was removed from her position, Danielle and the other members of NewJeans stood behind her. However, because they still had contracts with HYBE and ADOR, they were legally unable to perform unless it was under the NewJeans name and with the group.

According to a Reddit thread about Danielle's own business dealings outside of NewJeans, she is rumored to have signed contracts for brand deals that did not involve HYBE or the other members of the group. Even though this might have happened during the disputes with HYBE amid Min's firing, Danielle was still, at the time of the alleged deals, under contract with the company.

The Philippine Star reported that Haerin, Hanni, and Hyein are supposed to return to NewJeans. At the time of Danielle's termination, Minji was not confirmed to be returning to the group. As far as replacing Danielle, there hasn't been word yet on whether ADOR will find a new fifth member for NewJeans. It's possible that, once Minji is confirmed, the group will continue with four members rather than its original five-girl lineup.

Longtime fans have spoken out against the group continuing without Danielle.

One fans wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "If NewJeans makes a comeback without her, it won't be the same."

Another fan posted, "Dude, good morning to who? Danielle left NewJeans, and NewJeans is gonna come back incomplete. I hope HYBE fails hard from now on, what an infernal company, man."