HYBE, Min Hee Jin fight: NewJeans becomes a pawn in the upper echelon war

Legally, the case revolves around HYBE's unilateral move to terminate its shareholder agreement.

However, hidden deep within the lawsuit is a long-standing power struggle that has lasted for months without any signs of cooling down. It is worth noting that at the heart of this battle, the famous girl group NewJeans has been unintentionally pushed into the position of "central chess piece". The fate and future of the group are becoming a major concern, as they are directly affected by the complicated developments of this lawsuit.

At the trial, HYBE's representative made shocking accusations, asserting that former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin had blatantly violated the shareholder agreement by committing a series of acts that seriously damaged this subsidiary company under HYBE.

HYBE has released a series of evidence to prove that Ms. Min not only "directed" a protest campaign from the parents of the famous girl group NewJeans, but also allegedly manipulated the language in the emails. More seriously, they claim that Ms. Min directed ADOR's vice presidents to send out protests on her behalf, with the ultimate goal of separating ADOR from the "umbrella" HYBE and even taking complete control of the group NewJeans.

What made public opinion even more "stormy" was that according to HYBE, in 2024 alone, Min Hee Jin received a "huge" salary of up to 2.7 billion KRW (about 48 billion VND) from ADOR. However, despite this generous treatment, she was accused of trying to "counterattack from within" the system. HYBE emphasized that Ms. Min's demand to buy back shares for 27.8 billion KRW was completely unreasonable, especially when she still holds an important role in the company's management. These developments further clarify the dramatic power struggle that is taking place.

In complete contrast to HYBE's accusations, Min Hee Jin's side has vehemently denied all arguments, asserting that the entertainment group is manipulating public opinion and deliberately distorting the truth. According to her, all of her actions revolve around promoting ADOR's independence and, above all, protecting the rights of the "stormy" girl group NewJeans.

Min Hee Jin's side immediately raised a counter-question: If there was really a plot to "take over" the company, then why did the Seoul Court previously issue an injunction to remove Ms. Min from office in May and allow her to maintain her executive power? This is considered a strong "blow" to HYBE's argument.

Notably, Min Hee Jin also sued HYBE's increasingly deep interference in the creative activities that are ADOR's strength and soul - the root cause of the conflict. She once strongly asserted: "I'm not fighting for NewJeans, I'm protecting them from an increasingly commercialized and identity-losing industrial model." This is a direct statement, implicitly implying that Kpop is gradually becoming homogenized and lacking in personality.

The legal battle between HYBE and Min Hee Jin is making NewJeans, a girl group known for its Y2K style and musical personality, the biggest victims. With the group’s founder and creative “godmother” facing removal, the members are caught in a power struggle in which they have no say. Min’s representatives describe the group as “orphans.”

Despite the heated dispute, NewJeans’ activities have continued, raising questions about whether the group can maintain its identity amid pressure from both sides. The lawsuit is not just a dispute over ownership, but also exposes the dark side of K-pop, where artists and creators have little control and entertainment conglomerates put profit first.

Min Hee Jin is one of the few who dares to challenge this centralized power model. The outcome of the trial will be a turning point not only for Ms. Min or HYBE, but also affect the future of ADOR, NewJeans, and the way the Kpop industry operates.

NewJeans does not back down: Increases legal reinforcements, prepares for a new 'war' with ADOR! Hanhan23:04:25 22/05/2025The noisy lawsuit between the famous girl group NewJeans and the management company ADOR is escalating with new developments. The group has just made a strong move by increasing its force...