The turbulent legal saga surrounding the globally popular K-pop group NewJeans has taken a new turn with a candid revelation from their former creative leader. Min Hee Jin, the ex-CEO of ADOR, the HYBE subsidiary that managed NewJeans, has publicly broken her silence, placing the blame squarely on HYBE for the group's current predicament and demanding an apology to the members.
Min Hee Jin's Fiery Accusations Against HYBE
In a recent appearance on the online show 'The Genre is Yeouido,' Min Hee Jin opened up about the intense legal conflict that has dominated the past year. She directly addressed the controversial return of NewJeans to ADOR's management after their court defeat. Min Hee Jin asserted that HYBE, the parent company of BTS, is the party that should be apologising to the five members of NewJeans. She provided a crucial detail, stating that all members submitted their intentions to return on the same day, with only a minor time gap between submissions.
"Why is it being framed as if there's a division between the members?" she questioned, suggesting that the narrative of internal rift was deliberately manufactured. Min Hee Jin implied that this portrayal of discord was a strategic move by the company to sway public opinion during the sensitive legal proceedings.
"No Contact" and Media Scrutiny
When asked about her current relationship with the NewJeans members—Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein, and Minji—Min Hee Jin was unequivocal. She revealed that she is not in communication with them and clarified that this is a topic she cannot discuss openly due to the intense media spotlight.
"No, and I can't really talk about that... No matter what I say or do, articles come out about it," she explained, expressing frustration with the constant scrutiny. She humorously yet pointedly added that her every move is monitored, saying, "It's at the point where if I went to the bathroom ten times, articles would be written about it." This highlights the extreme pressure and media frenzy surrounding all parties involved in the high-profile dispute.
The Legal Battle: From NJZ Back to ADOR
The backdrop to Min Hee Jin's statements is a complex and lengthy legal fight. In November 2024, NewJeans initiated a dispute against their management company, ADOR, seeking to terminate their contracts. The group cited a breach of trust as the core reason for their legal challenge.
Following this, the group rebranded themselves as NJZ and began operating independently for nearly a year. However, their independent activities were halted by an interim court order, which prevented them from working outside the bounds of their company until the final verdict.
The legal journey reached its conclusion in October of this year. The court's final verdict found no discrepancies in the original contract agreement between NewJeans and ADOR. As a result, the court ruled that NewJeans are legally bound to their contract with ADOR until 2029, when it is officially set to expire. This binding verdict forced the group's return to the company's management, ending their short-lived chapter as NJZ.
Min Hee Jin's explosive interview sheds new light on the deep-seated tensions behind one of K-pop's most publicised corporate battles. While the court has legally settled the contract matter, the war of words and the emotional fallout, as evidenced by her demand for an apology, suggest that the scars from this conflict are far from healed. The industry and fans worldwide now watch to see how NewJeans will navigate their path forward under a management structure that was, until very recently, their legal adversary.
