On November 13, a netizen posted online that someone had reportedly met Hanni in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of Argentina, often referred to as a gateway to Antarctica. According to the post, the individual met Hanni by chance, received an autograph, and described her as “happy, with brown hair.” The autograph, which has since been shared online, includes the message “luv from Hanni♡,” seemingly confirming the encounter.
This sighting fueled ongoing theories that Hanni is the member referenced in a recent statement involving NewJeans and their agency, Ador. Earlier, it was speculated that member Danielle might be the one in Antarctica, possibly to participate in the Antarctic Ice Marathon, as she’s known to enjoy running.
Ador officially announced on November 12 that members Haerin and Hyein had agreed to continue activities with the label. The company stated that the two had made the decision after careful consideration with their families and in respect of the court’s ruling affirming the validity of their exclusive contracts.
Three hours later, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle also expressed their intention to return to Ador through their legal representatives. Their statement explained that one member’s location in Antarctica caused a delay in communication and that, due to Ador’s lack of response, they had no choice but to announce their return separately.
Ador, however, responded by saying they were still “verifying the sincerity” of the three members’ statement.
This follows a year-long legal battle that began in November 2024 when the five members of NewJeans declared their exclusive contracts terminated, citing Ador’s management violations and the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee Jin. Ador countered by filing a lawsuit to confirm the contracts were still valid and sought an injunction to prevent the members from independent activities until the final verdict.
In March 2025, the court sided with Ador in the injunction case. Then, on October 30, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in Ador’s favor once again, affirming the validity of the exclusive contracts. The court stated that “Min Hee Jin’s removal does not constitute a contractual breach” and that there was no stipulation requiring her to remain as CEO for the contracts to remain valid.
Following the verdict, the NewJeans members initially declared their intent to appeal, arguing that returning to Ador under current circumstances would make normal promotions impossible. However, just one day before the appeal deadline on November 13, all five members revealed their decision to return to Ador.
Sources: nate
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