On March 16, 2025, Danielle, a member of the K-pop group NJZ—previously known as NewJeans under ADOR—shared striking insights about her experiences as a trainee during an Instagram livestream. She candidly discussed the intense pressures of her training, particularly focusing on the stringent dietary restrictions enforced at that time.
Danielle recounted the requirement for trainees to document every meal through photographs, which were submitted to their manager for surveillance and approval. Her account highlighted the lack of personal freedom during this demanding period.
“You had to leave a message before you were able to go to the toilet, and this was even in free time. You were constantly being watched over when you were in the practice room, so you didn’t have much freedom at all. I remember having to take pictures of what I ate, before I was actually able to consume it. I had to send pictures to our manager and she would have to check it.”
Furthermore, Danielle stressed the importance of recognizing artists as individuals with inherent dignity and worth. She elucidated that numerous young aspirants join K-pop trainee programs with the sincere desire to debut as professional artists. By sharing her story, Danielle aims to advocate for a more humane approach to training, hoping other trainees will be spared from such regimens.
“What if they don’t have the voice, the support that they need and deserve? (…) On behalf of those trainees and young artists out there who don’t have the voice to speak out, please, people should be treated as people. Every individual deserves respect and dignity.”
Ongoing Legal Disputes: NJZ vs. ADOR
The backdrop of Danielle’s revelations is NJZ’s ongoing legal battle with ADOR. The group announced their exit from the label on November 28, 2024, citing reasons such as contract violations and unfair treatment, as reported by Teen Vogue.
Following this declaration, on December 3, ADOR sought judicial clarification regarding the legitimacy of its contract with NJZ. A subsequent injunction was filed by the label in January 2025, aimed at restricting the group’s ability to pursue independent activities.
On March 7, 2025, during the first hearing concerning the injunction, NJZ reiterated claims of alleged workplace harassment within HYBE, the management organization. However, it is crucial to note that a prior allegation regarding workplace harassment involving member Hanni was dismissed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, as reported by The Korea Herald on November 24, 2024.
Additionally, during the March 7 hearing, NJZ urged for the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin as CEO of ADOR. However, back in November 2024, a court had already prevented her from returning to this role. Just days later, on November 20, Min Hee-jin resigned her positions at both ADOR and HYBE after being dismissed by the label’s internal board due to contractual issues.
In their arguments, NJZ claimed that HYBE showed preferential treatment to the group LE SSERAFIM, which they alleged resulted in inequitable opportunities. They referenced earlier accusations made by Min Hee-jin from April 2024, which stated that HYBE minimized NJZ’s achievements while emphasizing LE SSERAFIM, branded as “HYBE’s first girl group.”
Moreover, they alleged that after NJZ’s Hyein was appointed as the face of Louis Vuitton, HYBE announced LE SSERAFIM as the brand’s global ambassador shortly after.
In response to these claims, Source Music, which manages LE SSERAFIM, released a statement on March 7, denying any allegations of favoritism.
“LE SSERAFIM has never received preferential treatment or made unfair gains in the process of being selected as an ambassador for a particular brand.”
After hearing both sides’ arguments on March 7, the court instructed NJZ to revise and resubmit their reasons for terminating their contract with ADOR by March 14, 2025. The Seoul Central District Court’s 50th Civil Agreement Division emphasized the necessity for more substantial evidence to back up NJZ’s claims against ADOR.
By March 14, as reported by Chosun Biz, a second court session was anticipated to address the injunction’s resolution, while the company’s legal actions against NJZ are slated to commence with an initial hearing on April 3, 2025. Currently, there has been no update regarding the second injunction hearing from any official outlets.