News Hybe/MHJ Civil War Megathread (42 Viewers)

[Selfmate]

Why is this so funny

because one side is saying cya
and the other side is going nope lol

 

[RandAlThor]

because one side is saying cya
and the other side is going nope lol

You would have thought that at least they would have used some great lawyers to write that up.. but damn those demands sound like high schools princesses not getting their way.

LOL our contracts are up because we said so... really does not work that way.

 

[Abeamus]

You would have thought that at least they would have used some great lawyers to write that up.. but damn those demands sound like high schools princesses not getting their way.

LOL our contracts are up because we said so... really does not work that way.

The thing that I cannot see working is their demands are things that Ador has either only partial control over or they just aren't reasonable like reinstating someone who tried to pull off a coup is not reasonable while stuff like looking into the ignore them comment requires cooperation from Belift which if they aren't getting would put the burden on Hybe to solve it not Ador.

 

[RandAlThor]

this is how i see it nj is steve...

 

[velvet]

Very happy for the girls that they are terminating their contracts. Hella brave of them.

 

[Selfmate]

Very happy for the girls that they are terminating their contracts. Hella brave of them.

yeah but the battle is just starting I highly doubt ador will be willing to let them go free of penalties etc

 

[Selfmate]

HYBE Chairman Bang accused of pocketing $285 million in 'undisclosed' deal

Korea’s financial regulator is assessing whether any illegalities were involved in HYBE’s initial public offering (IPO) following reports that founder and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk reaped 400 billion won ($285 million) through undisclosed shareholder agreements with private equity funds (PEFs).

The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is examining the act for potential violations of the Capital Markets Act and unfair trading practices, an agency spokesperson told the Korea JoongAng Daily on Monday.

The controversy arose from recent media reports that while Bang and the firms involved in the contract had profited from the entertainment giant's 2020 IPO, individual shareholders lost out. HYBE shares plummeted 60 percent in a week following the company's stock market debut.

Bang entered shareholder agreements with PEFs, including Stic Investments, Estone Equity Partners and New Main Equity, during the listing process. If the IPO failed, Bang would repurchase PEF-owned shares under a put option clause; if the IPO succeeded, he would receive 30 percent of the capital gains generated from the sale of those shares.

HYBE’s IPO succeeded accordingly and Bang reportedly made 400 billion won.

Further details of the agreement were neither disclosed during the IPO process nor mentioned in the securities registration statement, leading to claims that it has led to losses for early investors who were unaware of such terms.

HYBE debuted on the Kospi on Oct. 15, 2020 with an initial share price of 270,000 won, double its IPO price of 135,000 won. It reached 351,000 won at peak trading and closed at 258,000 won. However, shares plunged to 140,000-won range after two weeks.

HYBE denied allegations of illegal behavior via electronic disclosure on Friday.

“Our company provided the shareholder agreement in question to the IPO underwriters during the listing preparation process,” HYBE said, adding that the underwriters had reviewed the agreement accordingly.

HYBE shares fell 2.77 percent from the previous trading day to close at 189,800 won on Monday.

Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...hairmans-undisclosed-285-million-deal/2190802

 

[Selfmate]

Min Hee-jin files defamation suit against Dispatch reporters, HYBE's ex-CEO and PR chief

Min Hee-jin filed a defamation case against two reporters from entertainment media outlet Dispatch, as well as HYBE's ex-CEO Park Ji-won and HYBE PR chief Park Tae-hee, her legal representation Shin & Kim said Monday.

Min reported the ex-CEO and PR chief for "using illegally collected private conversations to form a negative opinion about Min" and two Dispatch reporters, Kim Ji-ho and Park Hye-jin, for "writing false stories even though they were fully aware of HYBE's intentions," according to Min's attorney.

"Kim Ji-ho and Park Hye-jin, even today, wrote an article that is far from the truth," Shin & Kim said in a press release. "They wrote their article based on a one-sided story without verifying the facts. We hope that this police report will uncover their serious lies and that they are held liable."

Dispatch reported Monday that Min had been manipulating NewJeans members to break free from HYBE, and that she even "tried to seduce" executives at HYBE in the past to achieve her goals.

The report again used Min's private online conversations with peers, one of which included a conversation Min had with the parent of a NewJeans member.

Min called NewJeans "disgusting" and "unworthy of being called artists" for "just looking at the mirror and thinking only about dancing" in December last year, according to the Dispatch report.

The Dispatch report came four days after NewJeans members announced on Thursday night that they ended their exclusive contracts with ADOR. ADOR refuted the members' claims, arguing that the contracts still stand.

Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...ch-reporters-HYBEs-exCEO-and-PR-chief/2190848

 

[Selfmate]

NewJeans’ Parents To Be Involved In Group’s Future Plans And Decisions

They helped members prepare for the emergency press conference.

With NewJeans declaring their termination with ADOR, the public is focused on their future plans.

On November 29, they released an official statement on ending their contracts, as none of the requested issues were resolved.

NewJeans Officially Announces They Will Continue Activities Free From HYBE And ADOR

With NewJeans officially starting out on their own, they are expected to continue activities together with their parents, helping them make important decisions for the time being.

While some members expressed wanting to work with former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, it will be difficult to avoid legal disputes, making it hard to find a third-party agency.

According to Sports DongA, it was reported that the emergency press conference held on November 28 was prepared directly with their parents. It was found that the parents were in charge of PR, security guard recruitment, and communication on behalf of the members. It looks like they will continue activities similarly.

Also, regarding the promise to carry out scheduled activities, they appeared on TV Asahi’s Music Station the next day, November 29.

There have also been no changes to their appearance as guests at the Yoasobi concert on December 7-8 at the Inspire Arena. They will also appear at the 2024 SBS Gayo Daejeon, 2024 FNS Gayo Festival, and Countdown Japan 24/25 in Japan.

The members also plan to create a new channel to communicate with fans as they have terminated the Phoning app service.

On the other hand, ADOR previously released the contents of their email responding to NewJeans’ requests.

ADOR Reveals They Have Taken The Best Measures For The Eight Demands Made By NewJeans

Source: https://www.koreaboo.com/news/newjeans-parents-involvement-in-recent-actions-future-activities/

 

[Selfmate]

Dispatch Exposes Min Hee Jin’s Alleged Lies With Damning Photos

They accused her of shamanism and more.

On December 2, 2024, Distpatch released a series of exposés about Min Hee Jin‘s alleged lies. In a numbered list, the tabloid detailed their debunk of multiple statements from the former CEO, including some damning photos of her meeting up with NewJeans and their family members.

1. Min Hee Jin’s past comments about artists
Min Hee Jin’s past text messages were released by Dispatch. Dispatch did not provide any context to the text messages, but accused Min Hee Jin of making them about NewJeans.

Working hard while tamping down disgust? LOL. Feels like I’m working for the benefit of others. It’s wasted on upkeep for immature kids.”
“LOL. What would they know? It gives me a reality check when I see how they are only thinking of dancing while looking at the mirror. Is this what they call working?”
“What artists? I have said so many times that they are not artists. Don’t annoy me by saying that word. What artists?”

2. Alleged knowledge of NewJeans’ first live broadcast and using the members to speak

NewJeans previously held a shocking live broadcast where they claimed that “no managers or staff” knew about the broadcast. They also mentioned a strong request for wanting Min Hee Jin to be reinstated. Dispatch obtained a text from Min Hee Jin to the girls’ family members dated on September 11, 2024, the same day as the broadcast. In the text, Min Hee Jin states that she hopes HYBE will make an offer of reinstatement. Dispatch claimed that Min Hee Jin used the girls to speak up for her given that her request aligns with that of NewJeans.

Min Hee Jin relays what she replied to an unnamed source, to the girls’ family members.

“I hope that you will propose an offer of cooperation in response to my clear request to be reinstated to CEO in order to normalize management again.” This was my reply to them.

— Min Hee Jin’s text

Through other texts, it can also be noted that Min Hee Jin knew about the YouTube live stream.

Family member: “Are they doing the live stream now?”

Min Hee Jin: “[Member redacted]’s Dad, no, at seven. We pushed it back a little on purpose, because Bunnies released something amazing. HYBE got caught cursing me out, and even their sexual harassment was revealed. Thank God. He’s setting up the stage for the girls to do well.”

Family member: “Is the YouTube live stream at 7?”

3. Hanni’s audit appearance
Hanni previously stated through messages that the company and managers did not know that she decided on making an appearance at the audit against HYBE. The night before the audit on October 8, 2024, Dispatch caught Hanni visiting Min Hee Jin’s studio. Dispatch claimed that the legal documents wielded in hand by Hanni were likely to be a summons from the officials due to the audit, leading Dispatch to believe that she had a talk with Min Hee Jin the night before the audit.

4. Min Hee Jin meeting with DAVOLINK through Hyein‘s uncle

Previously, rumors of Min Hee Jin meeting up with DAVOLINK, a company linked with Hyein’s uncle, went viral. She was accused of keeping in contact with them as an investor. Then, Min Hee Jin denied through an official statement that she was not in contact with external investors, denying a case similar to FIFTY FIFTY’s tampering.

Dispatch caught her meeting up with Hyein’s uncle and the owner of DAVOLINK. It was said that Hyein’s uncle had linked the two up, with Min Hee Jin traveling to meet the owner at his house in a van sent by Hyein’s uncle.

They allegedly spoke for three hours in his in-house meeting room. It was said that they had discussed the possibility of taking NewJeans with her, out of HYBE.

It was said that Hyein’s uncle first, asked DAVOLINK’s CEO could invest around ₩5.00 billion KRW (about $3.58 million USD). The CEO spoke to Dispatch, claiming that he was approached first, and that Hyein’s uncle seemed to be looking for investors, admitting to having conversed with Min for three hours.

On October 2, 2024, according to an automated online business registration system, two new internal directors were reported for DAVOLINK. This took place two days after Min’s meeting with the CEO. A “Lee” and a “Park” were registered. The CEO claimed that Min Hee Jin had both of them by her side and that their names were uploaded after the investor meeting she had with him. Later on, their names were taken down because Min Hee Jin denied having contact with investors, naturally including DAVOLINK. DAVOLINK’s CEO allegedly “complained to Dispatch” about the sudden change, claiming that “they were the ones who came knocking at my door.”

5. Min Hee Jin’s climb up the corporate ladder

Dispatch lastly claimed that Min Hee Jin used immoral ways to steal NewJeans from Source Music. They obtained some of her text messages, claiming that she used her body to climb the corporate ladder.

“I flirted heavily with [redacted] LOL.”
“I made him come closer saying I couldn’t hear him, sitting closer to him.”
“I think I can make him totally fall for me if I just sleep with him once…”
“It’s not that I want to lobby using my body, but if sleeping with him will make things easier, then I can.”
It was said that she used “love spells” from a shaman to achieve this, casting them on four to five men. Although she was rejected romantically, she allegedly was able to take NewJeans from Source Music to ADOR.

Source: https://www.koreaboo.com/news/min-hee-jin-dispatch-expose-lies-accusation/

Original Source: https://www.dispatch.co.kr/2312644

 

[Selfmate]

It was reported that Min Hee-jin, former CEO of Adore, actively interfered in the group's New Jin's move.

Dispatch released some of his messenger contents on the afternoon of the 2nd, saying it secured circumstantial evidence that Min Hee-jin was involved in New Jeans' escape from the door. It did not give a source.

The media claimed that Min Hee-jin used New Jeans as his loudspeaker, saying he already knew about New Jeans' live broadcast and member Hani's attendance at the National Assembly's parliamentary inspection. At the time, the Newzins members said that Min Hee-jin did not know about these things and that it was his own decision, not the content discussed.

Regarding this, some predicted that it was already shared between Min Hee-jin and New Jin's, and saw it as a natural fact. New Jeans and Min Hee-jin have always expressed their desire to stay together at the door. This is because it is not a level that the artist will arbitrarily decide. In this situation, Dispatch called Min Hee-jin a liar as if correcting this.

The media then mentioned Min Hee-jin's story of the "Daborink" investment theory, which is the center of the tempering controversy. Regarding this, Min Hee-jin said last month, "We have not contacted or shared opinions with any place. We clearly convey our position to block false rumors, so I hope there is no misunderstanding," he said. In response, the media criticized Min Hee-jin's remarks by revealing that he met with the company's real owner in September.

The media also weighed in on the allegations of tempering, saying, "Min Hee-jin told the real owner, 'Can I bring New Jeans out?'

The media said Min Hee-jin avoided additional contact with the real owner after the meeting, adding, "If you succeed, it's tempering, and if you fail, it's (just) a meeting."

Min Hee-jin's side is reportedly arranging its position on the report.

Currently, Min Hee-jin resigned from the company's executive director, and Newzins also officially announced in an emergency press conference on the 28th that he would "terminate his contract with Doror."

Source: https://www.mk.co.kr/en/musics/11183609

 

[Abeamus]

I read the stuff in the Dispatch article that Min Heejin is suing over and she's finished if those are real texts regardless of how Dispatch got hold of them

 

[RandAlThor]

once again kids and their parents got played. MHJ did a great job of grooming.

 

[Abeamus]

once again kids and their parents got played. MHJ did a great job of grooming.

Even insulted NewJeans thinking they are artists which after reading about the Krystal thing doesn't surprise me but this woman really seems to betray everyone

 

[Selfmate]

I read the stuff in the Dispatch article that Min Heejin is suing over and she's finished if those are real texts regardless of how Dispatch got hold of them

what was surprising was that she is suing because of the leaks and privcy breaches which she has a point but at no point did she deny the contents of the pictures or article

 

[Selfmate]

once again kids and their parents got played. MHJ did a great job of grooming.

MHJ the Korean Trump!!! lol

 

[Abeamus]

what was surprising was that she is suing because of the leaks and privcy breaches which she has a point but at no point did she deny the contents of the pictures or article

Apparently the suit is for the first article which even that she only said the texts were taken out of context which is just wordplay. From what I've read about this one the source is the uncle of one of the girls who was going to be put on the board for helping bring in NewJeans which MHJ denied and their stock plummeted by 50%.

 

[Selfmate]

Apparently the suit is for the first article which even that she only said the texts were taken out of context which is just wordplay. From what I've read about this one the source is the uncle of one of the girls who was going to be put on the board for helping bring in NewJeans which MHJ denied and their stock plummeted by 50%.

that's what is written

I can't wait for the actual lawsuits to begin

 

[Selfmate]

HYBE Label ADOR Files Lawsuit To Enforce NewJeans Contract After K-Pop Act Declares Termination

Following NewJeans’ “emergency” press conference last week, where the chart-topping girl group announced the termination of their contract with their K-pop agency ADOR, the HYBE sub-label is responding with legal action.

In an international media alert, ADOR shared with the press that they filed a lawsuit in a Seoul court to “confirm the validity of the exclusive contract” with NewJeans. The alert stems from NewJeans’ November 28th press conference where the quintet claimed that they and their staff suffered mistreatment from ADOR.

“The reason we are leaving ADOR is very simple,” the group shared during the local media press conference. “NewJeans is an artist of ADOR, and ADOR is obligated to protect NewJeans. It is the most basic obligation that an agency has. ADOR does not have the will or ability to protect NewJeans. If we remain here, it will be a waste of our time, and our mental distress will continue. More than anything, there is nothing that we can gain in terms of our work, so the five of us think that there is no reason at all for us to remain at ADOR.”

At one point, member Hanni described their work experiences as “deliberate miscommunications and manipulation.” The group continued that the ADOR, which launched NewJeans (originally introduced to the world as an independent label from other HYBE Labels with legendary K-pop creative Min Hee-jin as CEO), is not the same agency with which they originally signed.

“As a result, the exclusive contracts between NewJeans and ADOR will be terminated as of November 29 at 12 A.M. KST,” the group declared. “HYBE and ADOR are currently differentiating the two companies like wordplay, insisting that it cannot be a violation of contract because HYBE is at fault and not ADOR. However, as everyone knows, HYBE and ADOR are pretty much just one entity now. The ADOR that we worked with has already changed a lot, and the directors who were at the company before were all abruptly dismissed. Now they are differentiating HYBE and ADOR, and we really cannot accept the argument that we must maintain our exclusive contracts with the ADOR that has been changed according to what HYBE wants.”

Local media speculated that it could cost NewJeans about $225 million to terminate their contract early—not likely far off considering the group debuted only two years ago as well after training, as well as for the fact that ADOR and parent company HYBE stand to lose a significant moneymaker as the group and its members have impressive and lucrative endorsements, connections and brand names attached to them. Historically, NewJeans is one of the few Korean acts to earn a No. 1 album in America on the Billboard 200 chart. When their Get Up EP topped the charts in August 2023, NewJeans was just the sixth-ever K-pop outfit to hit No. 1 and second-ever female act. NewJeans’ Haerin told reporters at the press conference that the women have no intention of paying such any penalties.

The day after the press conference, Forbes reported that HYBE Corporation’s shares opened in the red and were down around 4.1% to $140.02 in afternoon trading.

In ADOR’s response, the label says it’s taking action to legally enforce NewJeans’ contract and avoid what they call the “potential disruption of the growth cycle of K-pop.”

Read ADOR’s full statement regarding NewJeans’ contract:
Hello, this is ADOR.

On December 3 KST, ADOR filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract with our artist, NewJeans, in order to ensure its continued legal enforcement.

Although we did not wish to seek legal intervention with the artist, we decided that it was necessary to clarify to both the artist and all relevant stakeholders that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims of one side. Above all, the decision was made to protect the trust-based relationships that have driven the growth of the K-pop industry and to preserve the very foundation of the country’s pop culture. We aim to have this clearly established in court.

With a heavy heart, we believe it is important to clarify any misunderstanding that the exclusive contract with the artist has been lawfully terminated, as this could lead to the artist engaging in entertainment activities in violation of the existing agreement. We also wish to prevent any unexpected damage or confusion among industry professionals as a result.

K-pop has evolved through the collaboration between the artist's talent and dedication, along with the company's full investment and trust, grounded in expertise. In this industry full of uncertainties, it is inevitable for a company to provide support in the long term to ensure the growth of the artist. This proactive support is based on the mutual expectation and trust that both parties will grow together over time, forming the foundation of the exclusive contract that was mutually agreed upon.

If this fundamental and mutual agreement is not honored, the company’s investment—based on long-term trust despite uncertainty—will be left unprotected and rendered ineffective. This would seriously hinder the continued development of K-pop, as the structured support, investment, and advancement of the system would be at risk. We are deeply concerned about the potential disruption of the growth cycle of K-pop, which has rapidly developed through many people’s hard work and dreams.

We remain committed to continuing our collaboration with NewJeans. Apart from seeking a judicial decision on the validity of the exclusive contract, we strongly believe that a sufficient and candid dialogue with the artist is essential. Despite multiple sincere requests from the label staff, we have yet to have the opportunity for direct communication with the artist. However, we will continue to make every effort to address any unnecessary misunderstandings between the artist and the company. We are committed to doing our best to ensure NewJeans can return to their loving fans with even better activities. We kindly ask for your continued support as both ADOR and the members of NewJeans work together to wisely overcome this situation.

Thank you.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...ontract-after-k-pop-act-declares-termination/

 

[Selfmate]

ADOR files lawsuit to verify NewJeans contract validity

ADOR wrote that NewJeans' actions "would seriously hinder the continued development of K-pop"

ADOR has filed a lawsuit to legally verify the validity of its contracts with NewJeans.

Yesterday (December 4), per Soompi, the South Korean music label released a statement sharing that it has filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of its exclusive contracts with the girl group. The company stated that it was “necessary” in order to “ensure its continued legal enforcement”.

NewJeans held an emergency press conference on November 28, announcing that they were terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR. It came two weeks after the band issued the agency a legal notice, stating that they would terminate their contracts if ADOR did not resolve alleged contract breaches.

The next day, the label refuted the statement, claiming their contract with the group “remains in full effect”.

ADOR, a subsidiary label of entertainment giant HYBE, said “it was necessary to clarify to both the artist and all relevant stakeholders that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims from one side”.

The company also added that this decision to file a lawsuit was made to “protect the trust-based relationships that have driven the growth of the K-pop industry”.

“We believe it is important to clarify any misunderstanding that the exclusive contract with the artist has been lawfully terminated, as this could lead to the artist engaging in entertainment activities in violation of the existing agreement,” it continued, adding that ADOR also wishes to prevent further damage and confusion among industry professionals as a result of NewJeans’ supposed contract termination.

ADOR also wrote that NewJeans’ actions “would seriously hinder the continued development of K-pop”. The company also shared that it has “yet to have the opportunity for direct communication with the artist,” although they have reassured that they remain “committed” to collaborating with NewJeans.

ADOR’s latest statement comes days after Min Hee-jin filed lawsuits against two Dispatch reporters, former HYBE CEO Park Ji-won and PR chief Park Tae-hee. Min accused both HYBE executives of violating South Korean communication laws, while both Dispatch reporters were sued for defamation.

Min’s newly filed complaints come shortly after Dispatch published an article on December 2 accusing Min of being a “hidden hand” in NewJeans’ public pushback against HYBE in recent months.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, these include their unsanctioned livestream in September calling for Min’s return to ADOR as CEO, member Hanni’s appearance at the National Assembly in October and their press conference last week announcing plans to terminate their contracts with ADOR and HYBE.

Source: https://www.nme.com/news/music/ador-files-lawsuit-to-verify-newjeans-contract-validity-3818999