Min Hee Jin becomes focal issue in ADOR damages case involving NewJeans’ Danielle
Min Hee Jin became a central issue at the July 23 hearing in ADOR‘s USD 24 million (approximately KRW 33 billion) damages suit against former NewJeans member Danielle and Min Hee Jin.
The Seoul Central District Court held the fourth hearing in the civil case, where the two sides clashed over how to calculate lost profits.
ADOR argued that lost profits should be calculated from NewJeans‘ growth between their July 2022 debut and June 2024. The agency said damages should be based on the period from November 2024 to November 2025. ADOR also said NewJeans‘ intellectual property and commercial value had already become embedded within both the company and the group, so a change in producer should not materially affect the calculation.
Danielle‘s legal team and representatives for Min Hee Jin rejected ADOR’s approach. They argued sales earned while Min Hee Jin was producer should not serve as the benchmark after she left. They said any damages figure must reflect the time and cost to hire a new producer, build a new production system, and the business disruption caused by that transition.
Outside the courtroom, some observers warned that making Min Hee Jin‘s absence a major factor in NewJeans’ commercial results could hurt the group’s perceived independence and brand value, even if the point is raised only to lower possible damages.
Meanwhile, NewJeans has started to resume official activities. To mark the group’s fourth debut anniversary, members Minji, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein released a series of official content, signaling their return following an extended hiatus.
The court said it will receive the first expert appraisal report by Sept. 10, after which both sides can submit additional opinions. The next hearing is set for Oct. 22.
The damages claim is part of a wider legal battle between ADOR and the former NewJeans members. ADOR had earlier filed a suit asking the court to confirm the validity of the group’s exclusive contracts and sought an injunction to stop the members from pursuing independent activities before a final ruling. The court ruled in ADOR‘s favor in both the injunction proceedings and the first-instance decision.