NewJeans' Hanni Confirmed as Member in Antarctica Amidst Group's Return to ADOR

NewJeans members Minji and Danielle have confirmed that Hanni is the member currently in Antarctica.

According to a report by TenAsia on the 17th, Hanni is near Antarctica and was absent from a meeting held on the 11th between ADOR CEO Lee Do-kyung, NewJeans members, and their parents. While Minji, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein attended the meeting with their parents to discuss the current situation with ADOR, Hanni was reported to have notified her absence.

On the 12th, Hanni, along with Minji and Danielle, announced through the law firm Hanil, "After careful consideration, we have decided to return to ADOR. One member is currently in Antarctica, which delayed our communication, and since ADOR has not responded, we had to announce our position separately."

The statement mentioning "one member is currently in Antarctica" sparked curiosity about who the member was, leading to a "Find the Antarctica Member" frenzy. In relation to this, a netizen posted a photo with Hanni's autograph on their social media, stating, "I met Hanni by chance in Ushuaia, Argentina," and added, "Hanni looked very happy." Ushuaia is the southernmost city in Argentina and one of the closest regions to Antarctica. Although Danielle, known for her interest in marathons with singer Sean, was also speculated to be the Antarctica member, she is currently in Korea.

Regarding the "return declaration" by Hanni, Minji, and Danielle, ADOR initially stated they were "verifying the facts" and later mentioned, "We are coordinating individual interview schedules with the members and will do our best to ensure smooth discussions." ADOR plans to conduct individual interviews with all three members soon, but with Hanni in Antarctica, the timing of these discussions remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, NewJeans had declared the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR last November due to alleged contract violations. However, the court ruled that the exclusive contract between ADOR and NewJeans remains valid. Although NewJeans expressed their intention to appeal, they changed their stance and announced their return to ADOR on the 12th, just a day before the appeal deadline.

During this process, Haerin and Hyein conveyed their intention to return through discussions with their families. ADOR stated, "We respect the court's decision and have decided to comply with the exclusive contract. We will do our best to ensure Haerin and Hyein can continue their entertainment activities smoothly. We kindly ask for restraint from speculation about the members."

Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr