Tearful Danielle Marsh breaks silence on NewJeans exit: 'I fought until the very end...'

Danielle Marsh has broken her silence. The former NewJeans member, whose sudden contract termination rocked the K-pop world in December 2025, spoke directly to fans for the first time in an emotional livestream.

On Jan. 12, the 20-year-old Korean Australian singer took to YouTube for an over nine-minute broadcast titled Dear Bunnies, a nod to the group’s devoted fandom. Sitting in front of the camera, Marsh could barely hold back tears. “Why am I already tearing up?” she said in Korean, according to a fan translation, setting the heartfelt tone from the very beginning.

“When I think of Bunnies, the first thing that comes to mind is your eyes — the way we locked eyes onstage, the feeling that our hearts stayed connected even when the music stopped,” Marsh continued, as reported by the Korea Herald. “Those memories are what quietly hold me up now.”

For fans who’ve followed NewJeans—also briefly known as NJZ after their legal split—Marsh’s words offered a glimpse into a turbulent year. The five-member girl group had been embroiled in a high-profile legal battle with their label, ADOR, following the departure of CEO Min Heejin. ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE, the entertainment powerhouse behind SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, and BTS, confirmed in a Dec. 29 statement that Marsh’s contract would be terminated.

The legal saga began after Min’s exit in 2024, when NewJeans attempted to terminate their contracts and operate independently as NJZ. A South Korean court eventually ruled in fall 2025 that the original contracts were valid, leaving fans anxiously waiting to see if the group—or Marsh—would return to ADOR.

Marsh touched on the ongoing legal matters in her livestream, explaining that the situation is “still in the process of being resolved.” She promised fans she would share updates “when the time comes” and detail more about the dispute in the future.

“I fought until the very end to be together with the members,” Marsh said, her voice heavy with emotion. She added, “In one corner of my heart, there’s always NewJeans,” affirming the bond that remains despite the separation.

Marsh’s exit from the group came as a shock to many. Since NewJeans’ 2022 debut, she had not only gained fame as part of the chart-topping girl group but also as an actor and performer. She voiced Ariel in the Korean dub of Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid and hosted the 2024 “Korea on Stage – New Generation” concert, cementing her place in the industry even beyond her group activities.