NewJeans member HANNI reportedly skipped a pivotal sit-down with ADOR because she was traveling to Antarctica.
According to a Star News report on the 17th, HANNI did not attend a meeting on the 11th between ADOR CEO Lee Do-kyung and the members and their guardians. She was overseas at the time, and the label plans to arrange a separate one-on-one when she returns.
On the 12th, ADOR said HAERIN and HYEIN had expressed their intent to return. Soon after, MINJI, HANNI, and DANIELLE also announced through Hanil Law Firm that they had decided to return to ADOR, signaling that all five members were on board. The statement added that “one member is currently in Antarctica, which delayed the notice,” without naming who.
Online chatter quickly followed about which member was in the polar region. On the 13th, an overseas fan posted HANNI’s autograph on social media, claiming they ran into her in Ushuaia, Argentina, and that she “looked very happy.” Ushuaia is known as the world’s southernmost city and a popular departure point for Antarctic cruises.
News that HANNI was abroad for an extended stretch at a critical moment in the group’s contract saga has sparked fresh speculation among fans.
NewJeans declared the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR in November 2024, citing the label’s alleged nonperformance. ADOR responded with a lawsuit to confirm the contract’s validity and sought a preliminary injunction. The court granted the injunction in March, and on the 30th of last month it ruled in ADOR’s favor in the main case, upholding the deal. With no additional appeal filed by the 13th, the first-instance ruling stands.
Photo: Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)