According to reports confirmed on December 31, the office of Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young at the Government Complex Sejong has been inundated with protest faxes sent by NewJeans fans, known as Bunnies. Since early that morning, hundreds of documents containing identical messages have reportedly been received by the minister’s office.
The fans’ petitions urge the ministry to intervene, accusing ADOR of retaliatory actions that inflict harm on its own artist. However, it remains unlikely that the ministry will take concrete action, as the dispute stems from an exclusive contract conflict between private parties. Government involvement in such cases could be deemed inappropriate. A ministry official commented that there is little the government can realistically do, noting that it cannot prevent a company from filing a lawsuit and that even investigations would have limited scope.
The protest documents argue that despite earlier promises made in court, ADOR has now singled out one member for a damages claim worth tens of billions of won, framing it as retaliation against an idol who protested alleged rights violations. The fans warn that such actions could serve as a warning to other members, functioning as pressure and intimidation. The documents also express concern that the company may be forcing apologies under the narrative that ADOR did nothing wrong and that NewJeans merely “misunderstood” the situation.
Fans further stated that K-pop supporters worldwide do not want to consume an industry that disregards human rights. They emphasized that the situation should no longer be treated as a private dispute between individuals and questioned whether ignoring it aligns with the responsibilities of the Korean government and the Culture Ministry. Calling for “fan sovereignty,” they urged authorities to listen to what they described as the genuine voices of fans and to protect NewJeans from what they see as corporate abuse.
International fans who are unable to send faxes have been encouraged to participate by tagging or messaging President Lee Jae-myung’s X (formerly Twitter) account. In fact, overseas fans have already begun mentioning the president on the platform, posting messages urging Korea to reconsider its global image amid the controversy.
This is not the first time NewJeans’ fandom has taken collective action. Last month, fans similarly sent large volumes of protest faxes to the Culture Ministry and distributed petitions to members of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. At the time, they demanded an investigation into whether ADOR had engaged in persuasion, coercion, or pressure that forced members to give up their rights during discussions of their return, after the court ruled in favor of ADOR in the exclusive contract validity lawsuit.
On December 29, ADOR officially announced the termination of Danielle’s exclusive contract, stating that it had determined continuing the relationship with her as a NewJeans member and ADOR artist was no longer possible. The agency has confirmed the return of Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni, while noting that discussions with Minji are still ongoing.
In addition to the contract termination, ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking penalties and damages against Danielle. The defendants include Danielle, one member of her family, and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. The total amount claimed is approximately ₩43.09 billion. ADOR stated that it intends to hold those it deems responsible for triggering the dispute and delaying NewJeans’ return legally accountable.
Some observers have speculated that if penalties calculated strictly under the exclusive contract formula are enforced, Danielle could face liabilities exceeding ₩100 billion. The damages lawsuit has been assigned to the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 31, which is also currently reviewing related shareholder disputes involving HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
Sources: naver