It appears that ADOR, the agency, has accepted Minji’s return to the popular K-pop girl group NewJeans, following recent developments.
On the 7th, ADOR posted a photo of cookies personally baked by Minji on NewJeans’ official social media, accompanied by the caption “HAPPY MINJI DAY.”
These cookies are identical to the gifts Minji personally handed to fans during a recent birthday café event held to celebrate her special day. This post marks the first time NewJeans’ official account has mentioned Minji since the onset of the highly publicized Min Hee-jin dispute.
Previously, in November 2024, all five NewJeans members claimed their exclusive contracts with ADOR were terminated due to an alleged breach of contract by the agency. They unilaterally notified the termination and embarked on independent activities. However, NewJeans subsequently lost the first trial of their lawsuit to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract with ADOR in October of last year. Following this legal setback, the members, without appealing, successively expressed their intention to return to ADOR.
However, in December of the same year, ADOR took further action, notifying Daniel of the termination of her exclusive contract, stating that she could no longer be a NewJeans member. Subsequently, the agency filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 43.1 billion won in damages against Daniel, one of her family members, and Min Hee-jin. While Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni’s return to ADOR has been confirmed, Minji is reportedly still in the process of negotiating specific terms for her comeback to the group.
Consequently, there is significant public interest in whether NewJeans will proceed as a four-member or a three-member group, a decision heavily dependent on Minji’s ultimate return. ADOR had not issued any specific official statements on this delicate matter until recently. However, the extensive birthday celebration for Minji on their official account has led to widespread speculation and reactions suggesting that Minji has effectively rejoined NewJeans, signaling a potential resolution to the group’s lineup uncertainties.
