The beloved girl group's last release was in 2024, with no projected return date to speak of.&nbsp;

When NewJeans stepped onto the music scene back in 2022 with their very first single, "Attention," it wasn't long before they caught the attention of fans across the world. With their catchy, unique Y2K aesthetic concept and bubblegum pop-R&amp;B hybrid sound, it wasn't just the average girl group fan that flocked to NewJeans; it was music lovers from across a variety of backgrounds. Before long, the group became viral sensations&mdash;choreography went viral on TikTok, singles dominated the charts, and concerts were quickly sold out.
But as any dedicated fan knows, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/everything-you-need-to-know-about-kpop-group-newjeans-danielle-hanni" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NewJeans</a>' industry-rocking releases came to a sudden halt in 2024, just months after the release of the How Sweet and Supernatural EPs, when the then-ADOR CEO Min Heejin resigned after an internal audit issued by the label's parent company, HYBE. The former executive's departure from NewJeans' label&mdash;among other reported complaints&mdash;prompted the group to seek to terminate their exclusive contracts ahead of their expiration in 2029, leading to a large-scale public legal battle between ADOR and the members of NewJeans.&nbsp;
After over a year of investigations, injunctions, and more, it's appearing as though 2026 may be the year of a long-awaited NewJeans return. Curious to see what you missed? Join&nbsp;L'OFFICIEL&nbsp;as we dive into a full timeline of the NewJeans dispute&mdash;and ongoing lawsuit.&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">January 2026</h2>

Not long after news broke that ADOR planned to terminate Danielle's contract and sue her, her family, and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin, the former NewJeans member spoke out on social media when she went live on her new personal Instagram account.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When I think of [NewJeans fans], the first thing that comes to mind is your eyes &mdash; the way we locked eyes onstage, the feeling that our hearts stayed connected even when the music stopped,&rdquo; Danielle said in the livestream, per <a href="https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10653937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Korea Herald</a>.&nbsp;&ldquo;I fought until the very end to be together with the members,&rdquo; the artist said. 
&ldquo;In one corner of my heart, there&rsquo;s always NewJeans," she added.&nbsp;
Fans online lamented the loss of Danielle and expressed their frustrations. Many also wondered why the star was the only member whose contract was terminated.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">December 2025</h2>

ADOR announced several updates to the member makeup of NewJeans, including Hanni&rsquo;s return and Minji&rsquo;s continuing deliberation&mdash;aka, her return has yet to be determined. However, fans were shocked to hear that ADOR announced that it planned to terminate Danielle&rsquo;s contract&mdash;meaning she will not be returning to NewJeans.
&ldquo;In Danielle&rsquo;s case, we determined that it would be difficult to continue together as a NewJeans member and an ADOR artist, and today we notified her of the termination of her exclusive contract. In addition, we plan to pursue legal accountability for one member of Danielle&rsquo;s family and former CEO Min Heejin,&rdquo; the statement read.
As reported by the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxwxqrde29o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>, the label has issued a lawsuit of $30 million against Danielle, her family member, and Min Heejin.&nbsp;

<h2 class="p1" style="text-align: center;">November 2025</h2>

Haerin and Hyein decided to continue on as members of NewJeans, the label confirmed.
&ldquo;After thoughtful consideration with their respective families and thorough discussions with ADOR, [Haerin and Hyein] have decided to respect the court&rsquo;s latest ruling and adhere to their exclusive contract with the label,&rdquo; ADOR said in a press statement.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">October 2025</h2>

Per the Korea Herald, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that NewJeans&rsquo; group contract with ADOR, which expires in 2029, is indeed still valid. The court found it difficult to conclude that ADOR breached its contract with NewJeans based solely on the grounds of Min Heejin&rsquo;s firing.
&ldquo;We sincerely hope that today&rsquo;s judgment, which comes after long-term verification of various claims and facts and reaffirms prior rulings, will serve as an opportunity for the artists to reflect calmly on this matter,&rdquo; the statement read.
The label also expressed its commitment to NewJeans as the group&rsquo;s management agency, and added that it has &ldquo;completed preparations for the artist&rsquo;s activities, including the studio album&hellip;&rdquo;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">March 2025</h2>

After the five artists announced their intent to reform their group as NJZ, release new music, and engage in new entertainment activities, ADOR extended its injunction against the group members in early March. After the extension request, the injunction included new music releases and overseas performances in addition to advertising deals, which was the original focus of the action.
After a late March performance as NJZ, the original five members announced that they would go on a temporary hiatus, seemingly as long as their dispute with ADOR was ongoing in the court system.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">February 2025</h2>

Shortly after the group members announced their intent to terminate their contracts with ADOR, they announced the debut of a new group name: NJZ.
Not long after the group announced its intent to proceed with a performance the next month&mdash;the girls&rsquo; first as NJZ&mdash;ADOR issued a statement in response.
&ldquo;We regret the escalation of this matter to court and believe that most claims advanced by NewJeans members thus far have arisen from misunderstandings. We worry that announcing an unauthorized new group name or engaging in entertainment activities before a legal judgment is reached&hellip; could constitute a material breach of the exclusive agency contract,&rdquo; a statement to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/style/newjeans-kpop-new-name-hnk-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>&nbsp;read.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">December 2024</h2>

In early December 2024, ADOR announced that it had filed a lawsuit in response to NewJeans' members terminating their contract. Responding to ADOR's lawsuit, NewJeans released a statement that responded to the suit.&nbsp;
"Our trust in ADOR and HYBE, who have repeatedly violated contract terms and failed to fulfill their duty to protect their artists, has already collapsed. According to the terms of our exclusive contracts, there is no longer any reason for us to continue working with ADOR and HYBE," the group's statement, which was shared with <a href="https://m.entertain.naver.com/now/article/112/0003735787" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Pop</a> and translated into English by <a href="https://www.soompi.com/article/1708627wpp/newjeans-releases-statement-in-response-to-lawsuit-filed-by-ador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soompi</a>, reads. "The exclusive contract clearly states that if ADOR fails to fulfill its contractual obligations, we have the right to terminate the contract. Forcing us to work for another five years despite this breakdown in trust and contract violations is not only unreasonable but also inhumane."
The statement continued and alleged that the label did not work to protect the group as it was obliged to do so.&nbsp;
"Even after the CEO was replaced, ADOR failed to address the numerous issues with HYBE, did not protect us, and did not demand improvements from another label that defamed us and spread false information. We deeply regret that ADOR, which consistently offered evasive excuses, has now filed a lawsuit. However, we hope that through the legal process, the reasons for our decision to terminate our exclusive contracts and ADOR&rsquo;s contract violations will be fully revealed."

<h2 style="text-align: center;">November 2024</h2>

Following Min Heejin's resignation from ADOR, the members of NewJeans sent an ultimatum to the label, stating that the group would seek termination of its exclusive contract if she was not reinstated, <a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/k-pop/20241114/whats-next-for-newjeans-after-ultimatum-to-ador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Korea Times</a> reported.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We received the notice this morning and are currently reviewing it to understand the specific requests. We are committed to resolving this matter wisely so that we can continue working with the artist," the label said in response. Min Heejin was not reinstated, per the ultimatum's demands.&nbsp;
On Nov. 28, 2024, NewJeans' five members, Hyein, Hanni, Haerin, Minji, and Danielle, announced that they were terminating their contract with ADOR on account of the label's breach of contract and failure of rectification.&nbsp;
"The reason we are leaving ADOR is very simple, and I think the reporters here who know our situation are also all very aware. NewJeans is an artist of ADOR, and ADOR is obligated to protect NewJeans. It is the most basic obligation that an agency has. ADOR does not have the will or ability to protect NewJeans. If we remain here, it will be a waste of our time, and our mental distress will continue. More than anything, there is nothing that we can gain in terms of our work, so the five of us think that there is no reason at all for us to remain at ADOR," said the statement, per&nbsp;<a href="https://www.soompi.com/article/1706828wpp/breaking-newjeans-announces-departure-from-ador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soompi</a>.&nbsp;
A day later, the group confirmed its decision and released the following statement:
"Our decision was made after long and careful consideration. We can no longer remain with ADOR, which fails to fulfill its basic duty of protecting its artists, and maintaining the contract would only cause us severe mental distress. Thus, we have concluded that we must leave ADOR. Furthermore, we have been hurt and shocked by numerous amounts of media play based on false information. We hope that such situations will not occur after our contract termination," the release read, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.soompi.com/article/1707027wpp/newjeans-releases-official-statement-following-announcement-of-contract-termination-with-ador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soompi</a>.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">October 2024</h2>

Following accusations from HYBE, ADOR's parent company, that she tried to take full control of the subsidiary label, Min Heejin, former CEO of ADOR, announced her resignation.&nbsp;
Her October resignation came after an audit that HYBE launched in April of 2024, when the company initially asked the then-CEO to resign from her role.&nbsp;
Per <a href="https://www.billboard.com/business/record-labels/hybe-audit-newjeans-label-ador-asks-ceo-min-heejin-step-down-1235663575/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Billboard</a>, HYBE &ldquo;invoked the right to audit CEO Min Hee-Jin and top executives of its subsidiary label ADOR,&rdquo; and that it &ldquo;called them to summon a shareholder meeting and sent an official letter to ask CEO Min to step down.&rdquo;

Will NewJeans Ever Return? See All Of The Complications Blocking The Group's Return

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