K-Pop group NewJeans loses member amid ongoing label dispute
The group has been embroiled in a bitter, year-long dispute with their agency, Ador. In 2024, NewJeans publicly announced their intention to leave the label, alleging workplace harassment, which Ador denied. The disagreement escalated into a legal battle that concluded in October this year, when a court ruled the group must remain with Ador until 2029. Following the ruling, all five members initially confirmed they would return to the agency.
However, on Monday, Ador confirmed it had terminated Marsh’s contract, sparking outrage among fans. Many took to social media under slogans such as, "NewJeans is five or nothing."
One fan wrote on X, "Does this make any sense??? NewJeans without Danielle isn't NewJeans.
Do you think you can just erase a member this easily? Give us back Danielle." Another commented on Instagram: "It's not fair at all. Free NewJeans (all 5 members). All they wanted to do was to be [artists] and make their fans happy." Marsh has not publicly commented.
Ador also announced plans to pursue legal action against former CEO Min Hee-jin and a family member of Marsh, claiming they “bear significant responsibility” for the conflict. The agency stated that the NewJeans members had been “exposed to persistently distorted and biased information” that caused “significant misunderstandings.”
The label clarified that two other members, Hanni and Minji, are still in different stages of negotiation, with Hanni choosing to stay after discussions involving her family, while Minji remains in ongoing talks. Earlier fears that the group might split had been fueled in November when the label initially stated that only Hyein and Haerin would return, but Hanni, Danielle, and Minji later confirmed their willingness to rejoin.
“NewJeans is a very important group that changed the world of female K-pop acts. For the music listeners and fans, it has been the hope to see their return as a full five-member team.
That's no longer possible,” music critic Lim Hee-yun said, noting that the outcome is unlikely to satisfy anyone. He added that Ador may feel pressured to recruit new members if Minji also leaves and highlighted the difficulty three-member groups face in K-pop, where fan loyalty often depends on the dynamics between all members.
Marsh’s future in the music industry is now uncertain. “Not only will there be a large part of the public that see her negatively [because of this controversy], but the record labels will too… She might need to pursue being a solo act as an actor, model, or an influencer,” Lim said.
NewJeans, whose members are now aged 17 to 21, have achieved remarkable success since debuting in July 2022. Within a year, they were the eighth biggest-selling act globally, with critics praising their blend of 1990s R&B and pop as a “game-changer.”
The fallout with Ador in 2024 was triggered by the dismissal of the label’s former CEO Min, whom the group regarded as a mentor. NewJeans accused the agency of “mistreatment” and “deliberate miscommunications and manipulation” before announcing their intention to leave.
Ador subsequently filed a lawsuit to prevent their departure, which it won in October, enforcing the members’ contracts through 2029.
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