Danielle Marsh Has Officially Left NewJeans—Here's What We Know So Far

This just in NewJeans will no longer continue as a five-member group. 20-year-old South Korean-Australian Danielle June Marsh, who's been known as Danielle since her debut, is officially leaving the K-pop girl group after their agency ADOR confirmed the termination of her exclusive contract.

ADOR said the decision stemmed from the "difficulty to continue together as a NewJeans member and an ADOR artist." The agency explained that discussions were held with all members as they reassessed the situation following recent disputes.

"We revisited past events and took time to view matters objectively. After candid talks, Hanni decided to respect the court's ruling and continue with ADOR. Minji is also in talks with ADOR, and discussions are ongoing to broaden mutual understanding," the statement read.

"In Danielle’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," it added.

ADOR also said it plans to pursue legal action against one member of Danielle's family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, "who bear significant responsibility for precipitating the dispute and for NewJeans' departure and delayed return."

According to the agency, conversations with the members revealed that tensions were fueled by what it described as "distorted and biased information." ADOR emphasized the need to address these issues based on "accurate facts" moving forward. 

"The company and the artists agree that, to regain the love of fans and the public, it is necessary—even if it takes some time—to fully dispel these misunderstandings based on accurate facts," it said.

"We have also agreed to find an opportunity to address the various controversies that arose during the dispute and are discussing the timing and manner," the statement added. 

The past year has been a difficult legal battle for the members. To put things into context, in November 2024, NewJeans members Kim Min-ji, Hanni Pham, Danielle June Marsh, Kang Hae-rin, and Lee Hye-in unilaterally "ended" their contracts with ADOR, citing alleged contract violations, including claims of workplace harassment. The members sent a certificate of contents to the agency, a legal document in South Korea commonly used for contract termination notices and demands for damages.

Following the split, the members attempted to operate independently and rebranded themselves as NJZ. However, these activities were halted after the agency filed a lawsuit seeking to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the group. A court order later barred the members from pursuing independent promotions while the case was ongoing.

More recently, in October 2025, the court ruled that, despite the unilateral termination attempt, the members' contracts with ADOR remain valid until 2029.

NewJeans debuted in 2022 under HYBE's sub-label ADOR and quickly rose to global fame with their hits like "OMG" and "DITTO," both of which became viral on TikTok.