In a New York lawsuit, TAGPR - a firm specializing in media relations and public opinion on the internet, has come under fire as the company that is conducting smear and hate campaigns against at least 5 figures including Min Hee-jin.
Plaintiff Stephanie Jones seeks to add TAG PR CEO Melissa Nathan as a defendant, accusing her firm of creating defamatory sites and fake profiles to damage reputations, including one targeting Min Hee-jin amid her 2024 feud with HYBE over ADOR and NewJeans.
Forensic details highlight digital links and SEO tactics echoing unproven claims from that HYBE dispute, where police dismissed complaints against her.
New details from Stephanie Jones’ amended complaint reveal that TAG PR ran at least five additional smear campaigns, including one targeting Min Hee-jin.
A digital-forensics report shows TAG PR did not just build smear websites; they deployed a full SEO manipulation operation, flooding the internet with dozens of low-quality backlinks to game search results.
On Sept 27, 2024, a smear site was registered accusing Min Hee-jin of being a “criminal” who created a “hostile, abusive, and sexually inappropriate environment” even alleging embezzlement. The site mirrored the same format and tactics used in the attacks against others on the list. TAG PR also created fake social media accounts pretending to be Min Hee-jin, all pointing back to the smear site, paired with yet another SEO spam campaign to force the narrative into visibility.
Meanwhile, earlier this year the South Korean police cleared Min Hee-jin, dismissing HYBE’s criminal complaint because there was zero evidence of any illegal conduct.
Hybe had bought 51% of TAG PR before the smear campaign against Min Hee Jin. This was followed by a string of hits on the kpop girl group NewJeans. HYBE then quietly dumped all their shares last quarter.
Fans see it as confirmation of tactics from the ongoing saga, now blended with Hollywood allegations tied to the It Ends With Us film.