According to a report on February 5, law firm Yoon & Yang (HwaWoo) previously served as Min Hee-jin’s legal representative but submitted a withdrawal notice on January 5.
The legal dispute stems from HYBE’s decision in December last year to terminate Danielle’s exclusive contract, citing difficulties in continuing her activities as a NewJeans member and ADOR artist. HYBE subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking approximately ₩43.1 billion (around $32 million) in damages and penalties against Danielle, one of her family members, and Min Hee-jin. The company claimed they bore significant responsibility for causing the dispute and delaying NewJeans’ group activities.
Facing the massive lawsuit, Danielle and her family initially selected the large law firm HwaWoo for legal representation. Min Hee-jin also chose the same firm to prepare her defense. However, Danielle later added attorney Jung Jong-chae from another firm, and during this process, HwaWoo withdrew from representing Min Hee-jin. Following the withdrawal, Min Hee-jin appointed attorney Kim Sun-woong from law firm Jiam as her new legal representative.
Previously, both Danielle and Min Hee-jin had jointly retained law firm Shin & Kim (Sejong) in lawsuits concerning NewJeans’ exclusive contracts and disputes related to shareholder agreements between Min Hee-jin and HYBE. Their decision to separate legal representation in the ₩43.1 billion damages case has drawn significant attention.
A representative from Min Hee-jin’s side claimed that she never officially appointed HwaWoo as her legal counsel. The representative further stated that the firm allegedly apologized over what they described as a unilateral appointment issue.
Meanwhile, attorney Jung Jong-chae, now representing Danielle, had previously expressed skepticism about NewJeans winning potential contract disputes. On his YouTube channel LAW&CASE, he explained that under South Korea’s standard exclusive contract guidelines for singers, if artists terminate contracts without agency fault, they may be required to pay penalties calculated based on average revenue multiplied by the remaining contract period. He warned such penalties could reach several trillion won if similar clauses exist in NewJeans’ contract.
The situation has intensified public scrutiny, particularly as the attorney who previously predicted unfavorable outcomes for NewJeans is now defending Danielle and her family in the damages lawsuit. The ongoing dispute has already affected NewJeans’ group activities. Following Danielle’s departure, full-group promotions were halted. Reports indicate that members Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni have returned to ADOR, while Minji is still in discussions with the agency regarding her potential return.
Min Hee-jin recently held a press conference without legal representation, asserting her innocence in allegations related to the so-called “tampering” controversy involving NewJeans. Her new legal representative, Kim Sun-woong, argued that the alleged tampering incident was a large-scale deception orchestrated by a family member of one NewJeans member and a specific company, insisting that Min Hee-jin was also a victim.
Sources: Daum
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