Former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin has proposed ending her ongoing legal dispute with HYBE, but the company has stated that it has “no position” on the matter. The response is seen as a cautious approach to Min’s sudden change in stance.
Min held a press conference on February 25 at the Kyowon Challenge Hall in Gwancheol-dong, Seoul. Expressing gratitude to the court that ruled in her favor in the first trial of her put option lawsuit, she announced that she would forgo the 25.6 billion KRW (about 17.5 million USD) she could receive from the victory. “There are values far more important than money,” she said, urging HYBE to end all civil and criminal lawsuits against her. Min explained that this decision was made with the aim of allowing the five members of NewJeans to return to the stage and to contribute to the growth of K-pop.
However, it remains uncertain whether the dispute will actually be resolved as Min hopes. From HYBE’s perspective, it is important to clarify the responsibility for the conflict to prevent future disputes. In particular, Belift Lab (associated with ILLIT) and Source Music (home of LE SSERAFIM) may need a court judgment to protect their interests. This comes after Min alleged that “ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans” and that “Source Music broke its promise to debut NewJeans as HYBE’s first girl group.”
Min Hee Jin and HYBE have been at odds since April 2024 over the management control of ADOR. HYBE claims that Min attempted to privatize ADOR and NewJeans while orchestrating a public campaign to assert independence from the company. Min has countered that HYBE exaggerated private conversations to put her in a disadvantageous position.
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