NewJeans’ Hanni revealed as ‘Antarctic member’ after missing meeting with Ador
NewJeans' member Hanni / Newsis
All five members of girl group NewJeans have formally expressed their intention to return to Ador, the label with which they’ve been embroiled in a yearlong contract dispute. Though the members and their guardians met with Ador CEO Lee Do-kyung on Nov. 11, it has now been confirmed that Hanni did not attend due to being abroad.
According to Star News on Monday, Hanni was overseas at the time of the meeting and informed the agency in advance that she would be absent. The session covered preconditions and requests related to the group’s return.
Following the news, industry insiders now believe Hanni was the member described in earlier statements as being “in Antarctica,” a phrase that sparked rampant speculation among fans and online communities. Claims ranged from Danielle participating in an Antarctic marathon to sightings of Hanni in Ushuaia, Argentina.
Ador is preparing to arrange an individual meeting with Hanni as soon as she returns to Korea.
The agency announced on Nov. 12, one day after the meeting with CEO Lee, that members Haerin and Hyein had formally expressed their intention to resume activities with Ador. “Both members, after careful consideration with their families, agreed to respect the court’s ruling and uphold their exclusive contracts with the label,” Ador said.
Shortly afterward, Minji, Hanni and Danielle issued a joint statement, via law firm Hanil, also declaring their return. “After thorough discussions, we have decided to return to Ador,” they said. “One member is currently in Antarctica, causing delivery delays, and Ador has not yet responded, which is why we are announcing this separately.”
But since the three acted before reaching a final agreement with Ador, the agency said it was “verifying the intent” and “coordinating individual meeting schedules.”
Anticipation over a full-group return stirred the music industry, as well as intense speculation about which member was in Antarctica.
NewJeans had declared their contract terminated in November 2024, citing Ador’s “nonfulfillment of obligations” and claiming they had lost trust in the company after the departure of former CEO Min Hee-jin and staff.
Ador countered the following month, filing a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contracts and seeking an injunction to bar the members from independent activities until a verdict was reached. The court granted the injunction in March 2025.
On Oct. 30, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Ador, stating, “The exclusive contract remains valid. The removal of former CEO Min does not constitute a breach, and the contract does not stipulate that Min must remain at the helm.” With no appeal filed within the legal period, the ruling has been finalized.
NewJeans, now formally on the path to resuming activities with Ador, are expected to hold further internal negotiations when Hanni returns to Korea and individual meetings conclude.
This article is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.