Daniel, a member of the group NewJeans, showed a composed demeanor by participating in a coal briquette volunteer activity on the same day he received a notice of termination of his exclusive contract from his agency, Ador.
On the 29th, Daniel appeared at the 186th coal briquette volunteer event led by singer Sean, aimed at raising the temperature of South Korea by 1 degree. This day was also when Ador officially announced that they had decided to terminate Daniel's exclusive contract, stating that it was difficult to continue with him as a member of NewJeans and as an affiliated artist.
Ador took a firm stance by identifying former CEO Min Hee-jin and one of Daniel's family members as responsible for the situation, stating they would seek legal accountability. Despite the escalating conflict with the agency, Daniel did not cancel the scheduled volunteer activity and quietly fulfilled his commitment.
According to volunteers present at the scene, Daniel reportedly worked diligently for about two hours, playing a supportive team member role by carrying coal briquettes. One volunteer shared that Daniel did not show any signs of his personal situation, learning about the news only later, and instead displayed a warm attitude by sharing cookies and chocolates with the volunteers and cheerfully responding to photo and autograph requests.
As Ador formalized Daniel's expulsion, they also decided to file a lawsuit for penalty damages and compensation. Some in the legal community speculate that the penalty Daniel may have to pay could reach about 100 billion won, indicating that the legal battle between both sides is expected to intensify.
Meanwhile, another member of NewJeans, Hani, has decided to return to Ador, while Minji is reportedly continuing discussions with the agency. Haerin and Hyein had previously expressed their intention to comply with their exclusive contracts. As public interest focuses on the team's future and the differing paths of the members, news of Daniel's volunteer activity has become a hot topic online.
