NewJeans removes traces of Danielle, Min Hee-jin, signaling shift to a four-member lineup

NewJeans / Courtesy of Ador

Girl group NewJeans has begun erasing traces of ousted member Danielle and ex-label CEO Min Hee-jin across its official platforms.

On Tuesday, NewJeans changed its official social media profile photo to an image of its official light stick, the “Binky Bong.” The banner image, previously a group photo, was also replaced with the group’s logo.

Search results on platforms now show only the four remaining members when searching for “NewJeans,” with Danielle omitted. On Spotify, the artist bio no longer lists individual member names, and former CEO has also been deleted.

The removal of Danielle and Min extends beyond social media to nearly all platforms associated with the group. Although member Minji’s future with the agency remains undecided, the move is widely seen as signaling that NewJeans has effectively entered a new phase as a four-member group.

NewJeans attempted to terminate their exclusive contract, accusing Ador of breaching the agreement and seeking to pursue activities independently. However, their path ended abruptly when a court ruled in favor of Ador, confirming the contract remains valid.

Following the ruling, the members expressed their intention to return to the agency. However, Ador notified Danielle that her exclusive contract would be terminated. While Hyein, Haerin and Hanni have confirmed their return to Ador, Minji is reportedly still in discussions with the agency regarding her status.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.