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News Hybe/MHJ Civil War Megathread (3 Viewers)
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Min Hee-jin's team denies plot to 'poach' NewJeans, stock manipulation involvement
On Min's absence
Kim: Because the issue is intertwined with family-related matters, it is difficult for her to speak about it, and she has also been shocked by newly revealed facts, making it hard for her to appear.
Expected to be a long explanation
Attorney Kim says today's press conference will take approximately one hour to go through a substantial amount of information related to ongoing allegations.
Kim: As for where the root cause of the lies about "tampering," we will address the substance of the suspicions — including reports quoting a Davolink source suggesting that Min was trying to take NewJeans away from ADOR.
Kim: The issue did not arise because Min was trying to take away NewJeans. Rather, it stemmed from differences in values over how an independent label should be run.
Beyond that, she bears no responsibility for the allegations of tampering involving NewJeans. Instead, those claims were exploited by forces seeking to manipulate the stock market — and the matter is also connected to a family member of one of the group’s members.
Min was caught offguard, attorney says
Kim: Min Hee-jin was sued by ADOR for damages just one day before the start of 2026. The lawsuit claimed that she had infringed on ADOR’s management contract rights by attempting to separate NewJeans.
Min said that although the legal proceedings are still ongoing, she was of the understanding that her relationship with ADOR had been settled, and that the NewJeans members were also set to return. She believed that both sides were moving forward for the sake of their respective futures.
Kim: However, she said she began to grow concerned that ADOR might be moving to dismantle NewJeans as a full group, citing actions such as terminating only Danielle’s contract.
She also noted that in connection with the ongoing dispute over the shareholder agreement between herself and HYBE, there appeared to be efforts to involve the members’ families, leaving her with no choice but to at least express her basic position.
Kim: She said she came to learn that the so-called tampering allegations involving NewJeans were part of a stock manipulation scheme allegedly carried out in collusion between a family member of one of the group’s members and a certain business figure.
She also claimed to have found evidence that a group conspiring in the stock market had exploited both herself and the NewJeans members as a means to serve their own interests.
Min was willing to give it all up
Kim: She said that at the time these suspicions were raised, she even attempted to reach a settlement — to the extent that she was willing to give up her rights under the shareholder agreement — in order to ensure NewJeans’ return.
She added that what she sees as the key point is that a member’s family, which she claims has ties to HYBE’s management, had brought stock market manipulators into the situation.
'It's all framing'
Kim: She said that Davolink, a Kosdaq-listed company with a history of various issues, approached her, and once the matter was reported in the media, a narrative took hold that she was trying to take NewJeans away — despite the fact that she neither planned nor had any involvement in such a move.
She stressed that this framing emerged even as she was in the process of seeking a settlement with HYBE, and that it ultimately solidified into a conclusion that she was attempting to “poach” NewJeans.
Kim: After Min was dismissed in August, and after the NewJeans members later notified ADOR of the termination of their exclusive contracts due to alleged contractual breaches, Dispatch began reporting on the tampering suspicions — claiming that Min had met with Park Jung-kyu, the de facto owner of Davolink.
Kim: She said that as a result, what had originally been a dispute over the shareholder agreement quickly shifted into a controversy centered on Min Hee-jin and alleged tampering involving NewJeans.
Shortly afterward, on Jan. 9, an interview was published by Ten Asia with Park Jong-kyu, who referred to himself as Davolink’s chairman.
The article claimed that Min had asked him for a 5 billion won investment, that she had plans to acquire Davolink and that she had made disparaging remarks about HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
Kim: She said that following Dispatch’s December 2024 report — which included footage of the meeting — Park Jung-kyu claimed that Min had tried to “take” NewJeans, and this led to it being treated as an established fact that Min had been plotting the dispute since April 2024 in order to poach the group.
However, she stressed that, as they will show, none of that is true and the allegations are entirely false.
On the contrary, Min was in fact attempting to reach a settlement with HYBE in order to facilitate the return of NewJeans.
Manipulation involving family member of NewJean's family
Kim: At the time, Min Hee-jin was not trying to take NewJeans away, but rather sought to protect the independent label structure, with Min's return to ADOR as the top priority.
She added that after she was removed as CEO, it became difficult for NewJeans to continue their activities, making it impossible not to take such factors into account.
She said that on Sept. 9, 2024, the uncle of one of the members contacted Min and showed her text messages he had exchanged with (HYBE executive) Shin Young-jae, claiming he would help bring about a settlement.
(emphasis mine continued below...)
On Min's absence
Kim: Because the issue is intertwined with family-related matters, it is difficult for her to speak about it, and she has also been shocked by newly revealed facts, making it hard for her to appear.
Expected to be a long explanation
Attorney Kim says today's press conference will take approximately one hour to go through a substantial amount of information related to ongoing allegations.
Kim: As for where the root cause of the lies about "tampering," we will address the substance of the suspicions — including reports quoting a Davolink source suggesting that Min was trying to take NewJeans away from ADOR.
Kim: The issue did not arise because Min was trying to take away NewJeans. Rather, it stemmed from differences in values over how an independent label should be run.
Beyond that, she bears no responsibility for the allegations of tampering involving NewJeans. Instead, those claims were exploited by forces seeking to manipulate the stock market — and the matter is also connected to a family member of one of the group’s members.
Min was caught offguard, attorney says
Kim: Min Hee-jin was sued by ADOR for damages just one day before the start of 2026. The lawsuit claimed that she had infringed on ADOR’s management contract rights by attempting to separate NewJeans.
Min said that although the legal proceedings are still ongoing, she was of the understanding that her relationship with ADOR had been settled, and that the NewJeans members were also set to return. She believed that both sides were moving forward for the sake of their respective futures.
Kim: However, she said she began to grow concerned that ADOR might be moving to dismantle NewJeans as a full group, citing actions such as terminating only Danielle’s contract.
She also noted that in connection with the ongoing dispute over the shareholder agreement between herself and HYBE, there appeared to be efforts to involve the members’ families, leaving her with no choice but to at least express her basic position.
Kim: She said she came to learn that the so-called tampering allegations involving NewJeans were part of a stock manipulation scheme allegedly carried out in collusion between a family member of one of the group’s members and a certain business figure.
She also claimed to have found evidence that a group conspiring in the stock market had exploited both herself and the NewJeans members as a means to serve their own interests.
Min was willing to give it all up
Kim: She said that at the time these suspicions were raised, she even attempted to reach a settlement — to the extent that she was willing to give up her rights under the shareholder agreement — in order to ensure NewJeans’ return.
She added that what she sees as the key point is that a member’s family, which she claims has ties to HYBE’s management, had brought stock market manipulators into the situation.
'It's all framing'
Kim: She said that Davolink, a Kosdaq-listed company with a history of various issues, approached her, and once the matter was reported in the media, a narrative took hold that she was trying to take NewJeans away — despite the fact that she neither planned nor had any involvement in such a move.
She stressed that this framing emerged even as she was in the process of seeking a settlement with HYBE, and that it ultimately solidified into a conclusion that she was attempting to “poach” NewJeans.
Kim: After Min was dismissed in August, and after the NewJeans members later notified ADOR of the termination of their exclusive contracts due to alleged contractual breaches, Dispatch began reporting on the tampering suspicions — claiming that Min had met with Park Jung-kyu, the de facto owner of Davolink.
Kim: She said that as a result, what had originally been a dispute over the shareholder agreement quickly shifted into a controversy centered on Min Hee-jin and alleged tampering involving NewJeans.
Shortly afterward, on Jan. 9, an interview was published by Ten Asia with Park Jong-kyu, who referred to himself as Davolink’s chairman.
The article claimed that Min had asked him for a 5 billion won investment, that she had plans to acquire Davolink and that she had made disparaging remarks about HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
Kim: She said that following Dispatch’s December 2024 report — which included footage of the meeting — Park Jung-kyu claimed that Min had tried to “take” NewJeans, and this led to it being treated as an established fact that Min had been plotting the dispute since April 2024 in order to poach the group.
However, she stressed that, as they will show, none of that is true and the allegations are entirely false.
On the contrary, Min was in fact attempting to reach a settlement with HYBE in order to facilitate the return of NewJeans.
Manipulation involving family member of NewJean's family
Kim: At the time, Min Hee-jin was not trying to take NewJeans away, but rather sought to protect the independent label structure, with Min's return to ADOR as the top priority.
She added that after she was removed as CEO, it became difficult for NewJeans to continue their activities, making it impossible not to take such factors into account.
She said that on Sept. 9, 2024, the uncle of one of the members contacted Min and showed her text messages he had exchanged with (HYBE executive) Shin Young-jae, claiming he would help bring about a settlement.
(emphasis mine continued below...)
Kim: She said the messages suggested that Lee (the uncle of a NewJeans member) had a fairly close relationship with Shin Young-jae, a key HYBE executive.
She added that she was well aware of who Shin was, and because the communication came through a member’s uncle, she trusted the relationship and believed Lee’s claim that he could play a role in engaging with HYBE. She saw it as beneficial to have a channel of communication.
She noted that at the time, in a Telegram conversation, when the uncle said he would meet Shin, Min told him to convey that she was even willing to give up her put option rights in order to reach a settlement.
She stressed that back in September, she had no intention of taking NewJeans away, and her only goal was to ensure that the group could continue its activities properly.
Kim: Then, she said that around Sept. 19 — about 10 days later — the uncle suddenly contacted Min again, this time without mentioning any discussion with HYBE executive Shin Young-jae, and instead began bringing up a person named Park Jung-kyu.
Min was uncertain and skeptical. She found it questionable that he had claimed he would lead negotiations with HYBE and highlighted his ties to senior management, yet produced no results and suddenly introduced someone unfamiliar.
Still, Min’s ultimate goal at the time was to reach an agreement with HYBE, which is why she continued to listen carefully to what the uncle had to say.
Kim: She said that she could not leave everything solely in the hands of the uncle, and since a new CEO, Lee Jae-sang, had been appointed in September of that year, she sought a direct meeting with him to explore ways for her to return to ADOR.
She said she met CEO Lee on Sept. 28, 2024.
During the meeting, she discussed the possibility of returning to ADOR and told him she was willing to give up various rights, asking HYBE to reopen channels of communication and improve relations.
Kim: She said that on Sept. 29, the uncle relayed the details of his conversation with Park Jung-kyu to her.
She added that around that time, there was an event attended by HYBE Chairman Bang involving major overseas figures, and the uncle suggested a strategy of having Chairman Bang removed and Min brought in instead, in order to push toward a settlement.
Kim: She said that articles claimed that Min had already known about Davolink or Terra Science and was seeking investment from them, but argued that if Min had truly been aware of what these companies were, there would have been no need for the uncle to go into such lengthy explanations about them.
Kim: She said that on Sept. 30, at the uncle’s request, she met Park Jung-kyu. The three spoke for about an hour — although the Ten Asia article claimed Park spoke with her for three hours, which she said is not true.
Since he made many strange remarks, she said the conversation was recorded.
Kim: According to Min, he told her that the situation would only leave both sides hurt, and suggested that it might be better to provide HYBE with a “back door” — adding that she should help preserve HYBE’s pride.
Kim: She said that if you listen closely, the claims that were reported are completely untrue. There was no discussion at all about seeking a 5 billion won investment, acquiring the company or taking NewJeans away from ADOR.
She added that during her meeting with Lee, he repeatedly brought up the ICAE conference scheduled for October — an event Chairman Bang Si-hyuk was expected to attend — and kept urging her to appear there.
The recorded conversation with Park goes...
Park: "Since Bang Si-hyuk would be at the event, you should bring at least one NewJeans member and meet him there. Don't say anything disparaging about the other side.
"The reason why I am bringing this up was that the event would be attended by ruling and opposition lawmakers as well as investors, and that those investors are key."
The conversation continues
Park: “If it makes the front page of an overseas outlet, the Korean media will have no choice but to follow. In the end, a major publication will run it — and our role is to create that situation. Bang Si-hyuk controls all the media right now (because he is a distant relative of the Josun Ilbo's owning family).
That’s why Chosun Ilbo and Chosun Biz will take his side. So you need to meet Chairman John.”
Min: “Who is this Chairman John?”
Park: “The person on the list I sent you.”
Attorney Kim said that, according to Min, Park kept making incomprehensible remarks, such as insisting she bring the members out and suggesting that Bang should be made to reinvest.
Attorney Kim continues to play incomprehensible snippets of a conversation between Min, Davolink Chairman Park and Lee, the uncle of a NewJeans member.
Attorney Kim says that Lee went on to make various other remarks as well — claiming that Park was close to judges and that he had strong ties with influential newspapers.
Kim: Min said that she asked acquaintances about what Terra Science and Davolink actually were.
Through them, she came to hear that they were companies known for using key stock-boosting factors to manipulate share prices.
Kim: Min clearly stated that she will not cooperate with them.
Kim: Then the uncle sends another message urging her to attend an event Park had introduced — the ICAE 2024 International Conference on Global Environment.
However, as shown in the Telegram messages, Min clearly refused, saying she did not want to become entangled with politics, did not want to receive an award while no longer being CEO and did not want to risk further inciting suspicions of tampering.
Rumors continue
Kim: But even after she clearly refused to cooperate, rumors kept swirling that Min was somehow related to Davolink, so on Nov. 2, she asked the member's uncle about what was going on behind her back.
KakaoTalk messages between Min and the uncle
Min: “How could you do this to me? Why are things happening that I don’t even know about?”
The next day, the uncle replied: “From the beginning, I suggested that you leave ADOR and discussed bringing NewJeans out as well, but you refused. Didn’t it end there?”
Attorney Kim says that this is clearly evidence that the uncle is the main culprit behind the tampering allegations, not Min.
Park reaches out
Kim: She said that afterward, on Nov. 6, Park Jung-kyu reached out, saying there had been a misunderstanding and that he wanted to speak with her over the phone.
But Min ignores
Kim: At this time, Min blocked Park's number and was not interested in responding to him at all.
Kim: On Nov. 7, 2024, Davolink filed a disclosure stating that the member's uncle had been removed as a candidate for an internal director position.
In other words, the forces behind stock manipulation had exploited both Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, using the member’s uncle as a key figure, but then, as things didn't go as planned, abruptly wrapped things up by removing the uncle from the list of inside director nominees.
In a nutshell
Kim: Min Hee-jin first heard about Davolink and Terra Science from (new ADOR) CEO Lee Jae-sang, and then the very next day from the member’s uncle, Mr. Lee.
There was never any opportunity for discussions or coordination involving Terra Science and Davolink — whether regarding investments, collusion or any such scheme — and the evidence presented so far shows that none of it took place or could have taken place.
Reports by Dispatch and Ten Asia containing false accusations ultimately benefit ADOR and HYBE, attorney Kim says.
Kim: Min said that just before she heard about Terra Science and Davolink through the member’s uncle, she had been asked by HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang in September 2024 if she had met the companies — which he mentioned by name — and advised her not to.
Given the circumstances, Min said she had met Lee in hopes of returning to ADOR, but Lee seemed less focused on reconciliation or reinstatement and instead appeared more interested in whether Min was connected to Terra Science or Davolink.
That, she added, raises questions about whether Lee may have already been aware of such matters in advance.
Kim: On Nov. 2, 2024, the member’s mother shared a KakaoTalk message from the uncle with Min Hee-jin that said not to trust CEO Lee Jae-sang and not to be taken advantage of.
She added that the uncle had been messaging the member’s mother, saying things like, “You can’t trust Lee Jae-sang — don’t end up being hurt like I was.”
It is speculated that there may have been some kind of underlying relationship or prior dealings between the two.
A new participant of the press conference has taken the stage: Sung Sang-hyun, head of the Business Desk at the investigative outlet The Gate.
(continued below)
She added that she was well aware of who Shin was, and because the communication came through a member’s uncle, she trusted the relationship and believed Lee’s claim that he could play a role in engaging with HYBE. She saw it as beneficial to have a channel of communication.
She noted that at the time, in a Telegram conversation, when the uncle said he would meet Shin, Min told him to convey that she was even willing to give up her put option rights in order to reach a settlement.
She stressed that back in September, she had no intention of taking NewJeans away, and her only goal was to ensure that the group could continue its activities properly.
Kim: Then, she said that around Sept. 19 — about 10 days later — the uncle suddenly contacted Min again, this time without mentioning any discussion with HYBE executive Shin Young-jae, and instead began bringing up a person named Park Jung-kyu.
Min was uncertain and skeptical. She found it questionable that he had claimed he would lead negotiations with HYBE and highlighted his ties to senior management, yet produced no results and suddenly introduced someone unfamiliar.
Still, Min’s ultimate goal at the time was to reach an agreement with HYBE, which is why she continued to listen carefully to what the uncle had to say.
Kim: She said that she could not leave everything solely in the hands of the uncle, and since a new CEO, Lee Jae-sang, had been appointed in September of that year, she sought a direct meeting with him to explore ways for her to return to ADOR.
She said she met CEO Lee on Sept. 28, 2024.
During the meeting, she discussed the possibility of returning to ADOR and told him she was willing to give up various rights, asking HYBE to reopen channels of communication and improve relations.
Kim: She said that on Sept. 29, the uncle relayed the details of his conversation with Park Jung-kyu to her.
She added that around that time, there was an event attended by HYBE Chairman Bang involving major overseas figures, and the uncle suggested a strategy of having Chairman Bang removed and Min brought in instead, in order to push toward a settlement.
Kim: She said that articles claimed that Min had already known about Davolink or Terra Science and was seeking investment from them, but argued that if Min had truly been aware of what these companies were, there would have been no need for the uncle to go into such lengthy explanations about them.
Kim: She said that on Sept. 30, at the uncle’s request, she met Park Jung-kyu. The three spoke for about an hour — although the Ten Asia article claimed Park spoke with her for three hours, which she said is not true.
Since he made many strange remarks, she said the conversation was recorded.
Kim: According to Min, he told her that the situation would only leave both sides hurt, and suggested that it might be better to provide HYBE with a “back door” — adding that she should help preserve HYBE’s pride.
Kim: She said that if you listen closely, the claims that were reported are completely untrue. There was no discussion at all about seeking a 5 billion won investment, acquiring the company or taking NewJeans away from ADOR.
She added that during her meeting with Lee, he repeatedly brought up the ICAE conference scheduled for October — an event Chairman Bang Si-hyuk was expected to attend — and kept urging her to appear there.
The recorded conversation with Park goes...
Park: "Since Bang Si-hyuk would be at the event, you should bring at least one NewJeans member and meet him there. Don't say anything disparaging about the other side.
"The reason why I am bringing this up was that the event would be attended by ruling and opposition lawmakers as well as investors, and that those investors are key."
The conversation continues
Park: “If it makes the front page of an overseas outlet, the Korean media will have no choice but to follow. In the end, a major publication will run it — and our role is to create that situation. Bang Si-hyuk controls all the media right now (because he is a distant relative of the Josun Ilbo's owning family).
That’s why Chosun Ilbo and Chosun Biz will take his side. So you need to meet Chairman John.”
Min: “Who is this Chairman John?”
Park: “The person on the list I sent you.”
Attorney Kim said that, according to Min, Park kept making incomprehensible remarks, such as insisting she bring the members out and suggesting that Bang should be made to reinvest.
Attorney Kim continues to play incomprehensible snippets of a conversation between Min, Davolink Chairman Park and Lee, the uncle of a NewJeans member.
Attorney Kim says that Lee went on to make various other remarks as well — claiming that Park was close to judges and that he had strong ties with influential newspapers.
Kim: Min said that she asked acquaintances about what Terra Science and Davolink actually were.
Through them, she came to hear that they were companies known for using key stock-boosting factors to manipulate share prices.
Kim: Min clearly stated that she will not cooperate with them.
Kim: Then the uncle sends another message urging her to attend an event Park had introduced — the ICAE 2024 International Conference on Global Environment.
However, as shown in the Telegram messages, Min clearly refused, saying she did not want to become entangled with politics, did not want to receive an award while no longer being CEO and did not want to risk further inciting suspicions of tampering.
Rumors continue
Kim: But even after she clearly refused to cooperate, rumors kept swirling that Min was somehow related to Davolink, so on Nov. 2, she asked the member's uncle about what was going on behind her back.
KakaoTalk messages between Min and the uncle
Min: “How could you do this to me? Why are things happening that I don’t even know about?”
The next day, the uncle replied: “From the beginning, I suggested that you leave ADOR and discussed bringing NewJeans out as well, but you refused. Didn’t it end there?”
Attorney Kim says that this is clearly evidence that the uncle is the main culprit behind the tampering allegations, not Min.
Park reaches out
Kim: She said that afterward, on Nov. 6, Park Jung-kyu reached out, saying there had been a misunderstanding and that he wanted to speak with her over the phone.
But Min ignores
Kim: At this time, Min blocked Park's number and was not interested in responding to him at all.
Kim: On Nov. 7, 2024, Davolink filed a disclosure stating that the member's uncle had been removed as a candidate for an internal director position.
In other words, the forces behind stock manipulation had exploited both Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, using the member’s uncle as a key figure, but then, as things didn't go as planned, abruptly wrapped things up by removing the uncle from the list of inside director nominees.
In a nutshell
Kim: Min Hee-jin first heard about Davolink and Terra Science from (new ADOR) CEO Lee Jae-sang, and then the very next day from the member’s uncle, Mr. Lee.
There was never any opportunity for discussions or coordination involving Terra Science and Davolink — whether regarding investments, collusion or any such scheme — and the evidence presented so far shows that none of it took place or could have taken place.
Reports by Dispatch and Ten Asia containing false accusations ultimately benefit ADOR and HYBE, attorney Kim says.
Kim: Min said that just before she heard about Terra Science and Davolink through the member’s uncle, she had been asked by HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang in September 2024 if she had met the companies — which he mentioned by name — and advised her not to.
Given the circumstances, Min said she had met Lee in hopes of returning to ADOR, but Lee seemed less focused on reconciliation or reinstatement and instead appeared more interested in whether Min was connected to Terra Science or Davolink.
That, she added, raises questions about whether Lee may have already been aware of such matters in advance.
Kim: On Nov. 2, 2024, the member’s mother shared a KakaoTalk message from the uncle with Min Hee-jin that said not to trust CEO Lee Jae-sang and not to be taken advantage of.
She added that the uncle had been messaging the member’s mother, saying things like, “You can’t trust Lee Jae-sang — don’t end up being hurt like I was.”
It is speculated that there may have been some kind of underlying relationship or prior dealings between the two.
A new participant of the press conference has taken the stage: Sung Sang-hyun, head of the Business Desk at the investigative outlet The Gate.
(continued below)
Sung: We were investigating suspicions surrounding a culture-and-entertainment complex development project being pushed by the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. At the time, the main subject of our reporting was The ENM, the preferred negotiating partner for the project.
We began looking further into market-disrupting forces while reporting on The ENM, and that trail led us to Park Jung-kyu and Davolink, of which he is the de facto owner. During our reporting, we secured evidence suggesting that Park Jung-kyu sought to use NewJeans and Min Hee-jin as pawns to boost the company’s stock price.
Sung: We began focusing on a figure named Park Jung-kyu. He is a well-known name in business circles, and the number of companies associated with him is countless.
What these companies have in common is that whenever Park was involved — even indirectly — they were often accompanied by issues such as capital outflow and disputes over management control.
Sung: Davolink’s share price surged as a so-called NewJeans theme stock, only to later collapse. Our question was why Park Jung-kyu approached Min Hee-jin in the first place.
Sung: According to industry sources, Park was widely viewed as the de facto owner of Terra Science, because the company's largest shareholder was known to be his wife, a woman surnamed Ji.
Sung: Starting in February 2024, Davolink began preparing to enter the entertainment business, including acquiring a call option in a company named CCS.
Given that Park Jung-kyu had previously attempted to ride so-called theme stocks through other companies linked to him, we suspect he may have identified entertainment as a new profit engine — using Davolink as his latest vehicle.
Sung: Park approached Min through the member’s uncle, and a telecommunications equipment company began expanding into the entertainment business.
In fact, Chairman Bang was never scheduled to attend the October event in the first place, and the Chosun Ilbo also never included him on any such list.
This raises reasonable suspicion that Park’s repeated requests for Min to participate in this event were intended to officially brand Davolink as a so-called Min Hee-jin theme stock.
Under Park's management, Davolink has also experienced significant turmoil. Each time a disclosure was filed, it was often followed by as many as 10 separate correction filings.
Sung continues to name cases in which Park Jung-kyu tried to benefit from "theme stocks." The first case involved superconductors, which did not go well, and his focus shifted to NewJeans and then to the Korean presidency.
Sung then went on to name cases in which candidates for Davolink’s board of directors, including the member's uncle, had listed false credentials.
For example, in the Davolink disclosure, Lee described himself as a chief at a company called Handypoint — but it was later found that no such corporation appears to exist.
Phone call between The Gate and Lee:
The Gate: Why did you stay silent when Park Jung-kyu raised tampering allegations against Min?
Lee: There were no tampering attempts. I just stayed silent because it was not a big deal.
The Gate: We once asked CEO Min Hee-jin why she stayed silent. Her answer was always the same: "To protect the members from getting hurt, and to spare their families from pain."
She planned to appear today as well. But we made a mistake by sharing a recorded file of Lee’s call — which you have just heard — with her lawyer.
Min Hee-jin fainted after hearing Lee say, “It’s no big deal.”
'Min Hee-jin fainted'
Min Hee-jin fainted after hearing Lee say, “It’s no big deal.”
She lost consciousness upon hearing the audio of Lee laughing as he made the remark.
Attorney Kim takes the mic back
Kim: Min Hee-jin is currently in a difficult situation on multiple fronts.
We decided to speak out after reviewing the findings of a recent investigation into forces disrupting the capital market.
We will take legal action against inaccurate reporting and also proceed with defamation lawsuits and a complaint over a violation of the Capital Markets Act against those responsible for the market disruption.
Question: If HYBE intended to frame the situation as tampering, wouldn’t there have been no need to warn Min against the meeting?
Answer: We are not claiming that CEO Lee Jae-sang or HYBE orchestrated the situation. What we find suspicious is that the names of the companies were mentioned before the meeting took place. The incident came to be perceived as tampering, and HYBE ultimately benefited from that situation.
Individuals such as Park Jung-kyu, who in interviews claimed that NewJeans was tampered with, will be sued for defamation and reported for unfair trading practices.
Q: What are the positions of the members or their families?
A: We don't know anything about this.
Q: So what exactly was discussed in the negotiations regarding Min Hee-jin's possible return to ADOR, said to have taken place in September? And when did Davolink’s stock price rise and when did it fall?
A: We are not aware of the specific details of what Min Hee-jin was trying to negotiate with CEO Lee Jae-sang. What we can say within the scope of what we can verify is that she was in the process of negotiating a deal that would allow her to return, even at a loss regarding her put options.
Davolink’s stock began moving in July. After a disclosure on Oct. 10 that one of the members’ uncles had been nominated to become an internal director, the stock continued to rise, but later began to fall.
Q: Why are you disclosing events from 2024 only now?
A: At the time, Min Hee-jin was seeking to return to ADOR, so she could not speak out about the involvement of the members’ families. Now that the situation has been settled, and after one NewJeans member had her contract terminated and we obtained information about those involved in stock manipulation, we have decided to come forward.
Q: What is the relationship between today’s announcement and the damages lawsuit?
A: We believe this will serve as a clarification regarding allegations of tampering and related issues.
Q: Why was the press conference held today?
A: Allegations of tampering involving Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, which took place in late 2024 and early 2025, had already spread widely and were being treated as fact — not just in the context of a shareholder agreement lawsuit, but also through coverage by multiple journalists and media outlets.
We are only now able to speak about it, taking into consideration the relationship with the NewJeans members. We also chose to speak out at this time because we have come to clearly understand that the forces attempting to engage in tampering were, in fact, part of a group disrupting the stock market.
KJD reporter Shin Ha-nee, on site, says:
This press conference seems not to be directly related to the shareholder agreement or the put option lawsuit, but rather to the recent damages suit involving ex-NewJeans member Danielle. The key question raised by Min Hee-jin’s team concerns the intentions of CEO Lee Jae-sang and HYBE. However, while there could be suspicion that HYBE may have deliberately constructed a narrative, there is still insufficient evidence to make that claim definitively — especially given that Lee explicitly told Min not to proceed with the meeting, according to the phone call recording disclosed today.
The evidence presented today may serve as Min Hee-jin’s rebuttal to the tampering allegations, but it appears insufficient to directly implicate HYBE for framing the narrative or to elevate such claims beyond the level of suspicion.
Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...nference-after-NewJeans-rejoined-ADOR/2510597
We began looking further into market-disrupting forces while reporting on The ENM, and that trail led us to Park Jung-kyu and Davolink, of which he is the de facto owner. During our reporting, we secured evidence suggesting that Park Jung-kyu sought to use NewJeans and Min Hee-jin as pawns to boost the company’s stock price.
Sung: We began focusing on a figure named Park Jung-kyu. He is a well-known name in business circles, and the number of companies associated with him is countless.
What these companies have in common is that whenever Park was involved — even indirectly — they were often accompanied by issues such as capital outflow and disputes over management control.
Sung: Davolink’s share price surged as a so-called NewJeans theme stock, only to later collapse. Our question was why Park Jung-kyu approached Min Hee-jin in the first place.
Sung: According to industry sources, Park was widely viewed as the de facto owner of Terra Science, because the company's largest shareholder was known to be his wife, a woman surnamed Ji.
Sung: Starting in February 2024, Davolink began preparing to enter the entertainment business, including acquiring a call option in a company named CCS.
Given that Park Jung-kyu had previously attempted to ride so-called theme stocks through other companies linked to him, we suspect he may have identified entertainment as a new profit engine — using Davolink as his latest vehicle.
Sung: Park approached Min through the member’s uncle, and a telecommunications equipment company began expanding into the entertainment business.
In fact, Chairman Bang was never scheduled to attend the October event in the first place, and the Chosun Ilbo also never included him on any such list.
This raises reasonable suspicion that Park’s repeated requests for Min to participate in this event were intended to officially brand Davolink as a so-called Min Hee-jin theme stock.
Under Park's management, Davolink has also experienced significant turmoil. Each time a disclosure was filed, it was often followed by as many as 10 separate correction filings.
Sung continues to name cases in which Park Jung-kyu tried to benefit from "theme stocks." The first case involved superconductors, which did not go well, and his focus shifted to NewJeans and then to the Korean presidency.
Sung then went on to name cases in which candidates for Davolink’s board of directors, including the member's uncle, had listed false credentials.
For example, in the Davolink disclosure, Lee described himself as a chief at a company called Handypoint — but it was later found that no such corporation appears to exist.
Phone call between The Gate and Lee:
The Gate: Why did you stay silent when Park Jung-kyu raised tampering allegations against Min?
Lee: There were no tampering attempts. I just stayed silent because it was not a big deal.
The Gate: We once asked CEO Min Hee-jin why she stayed silent. Her answer was always the same: "To protect the members from getting hurt, and to spare their families from pain."
She planned to appear today as well. But we made a mistake by sharing a recorded file of Lee’s call — which you have just heard — with her lawyer.
Min Hee-jin fainted after hearing Lee say, “It’s no big deal.”
'Min Hee-jin fainted'
Min Hee-jin fainted after hearing Lee say, “It’s no big deal.”
She lost consciousness upon hearing the audio of Lee laughing as he made the remark.
Attorney Kim takes the mic back
Kim: Min Hee-jin is currently in a difficult situation on multiple fronts.
We decided to speak out after reviewing the findings of a recent investigation into forces disrupting the capital market.
We will take legal action against inaccurate reporting and also proceed with defamation lawsuits and a complaint over a violation of the Capital Markets Act against those responsible for the market disruption.
Question: If HYBE intended to frame the situation as tampering, wouldn’t there have been no need to warn Min against the meeting?
Answer: We are not claiming that CEO Lee Jae-sang or HYBE orchestrated the situation. What we find suspicious is that the names of the companies were mentioned before the meeting took place. The incident came to be perceived as tampering, and HYBE ultimately benefited from that situation.
Individuals such as Park Jung-kyu, who in interviews claimed that NewJeans was tampered with, will be sued for defamation and reported for unfair trading practices.
Q: What are the positions of the members or their families?
A: We don't know anything about this.
Q: So what exactly was discussed in the negotiations regarding Min Hee-jin's possible return to ADOR, said to have taken place in September? And when did Davolink’s stock price rise and when did it fall?
A: We are not aware of the specific details of what Min Hee-jin was trying to negotiate with CEO Lee Jae-sang. What we can say within the scope of what we can verify is that she was in the process of negotiating a deal that would allow her to return, even at a loss regarding her put options.
Davolink’s stock began moving in July. After a disclosure on Oct. 10 that one of the members’ uncles had been nominated to become an internal director, the stock continued to rise, but later began to fall.
Q: Why are you disclosing events from 2024 only now?
A: At the time, Min Hee-jin was seeking to return to ADOR, so she could not speak out about the involvement of the members’ families. Now that the situation has been settled, and after one NewJeans member had her contract terminated and we obtained information about those involved in stock manipulation, we have decided to come forward.
Q: What is the relationship between today’s announcement and the damages lawsuit?
A: We believe this will serve as a clarification regarding allegations of tampering and related issues.
Q: Why was the press conference held today?
A: Allegations of tampering involving Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, which took place in late 2024 and early 2025, had already spread widely and were being treated as fact — not just in the context of a shareholder agreement lawsuit, but also through coverage by multiple journalists and media outlets.
We are only now able to speak about it, taking into consideration the relationship with the NewJeans members. We also chose to speak out at this time because we have come to clearly understand that the forces attempting to engage in tampering were, in fact, part of a group disrupting the stock market.
KJD reporter Shin Ha-nee, on site, says:
This press conference seems not to be directly related to the shareholder agreement or the put option lawsuit, but rather to the recent damages suit involving ex-NewJeans member Danielle. The key question raised by Min Hee-jin’s team concerns the intentions of CEO Lee Jae-sang and HYBE. However, while there could be suspicion that HYBE may have deliberately constructed a narrative, there is still insufficient evidence to make that claim definitively — especially given that Lee explicitly told Min not to proceed with the meeting, according to the phone call recording disclosed today.
The evidence presented today may serve as Min Hee-jin’s rebuttal to the tampering allegations, but it appears insufficient to directly implicate HYBE for framing the narrative or to elevate such claims beyond the level of suspicion.
Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...nference-after-NewJeans-rejoined-ADOR/2510597
ADOR Calls Min Hee-jin's Denial a Court Matter
Amid a press conference held by former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin regarding allegations of 'NewJeans tampering,' ADOR has released its official stance.
Min’s side conducted the press conference on the 28th in a location in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and claimed that the suspicion of 'NewJeans tampering' was not instigated by Min but rather involved "the family of one NewJeans member and a specific businessperson colluding to manipulate the stock market."
Min’s side alleged that the father of one member introduced his brother, Mr. A, and proposed entrusting negotiations with HYBE to him. During this process, Mr. A and businessman Mr. B allegedly conspired to use Min and NewJeans members as a ‘theme stock’ to inflate stock prices.
Regarding this, ADOR conveyed a brief statement to OSEN on the 28th, saying, "If there are claims, they can be discussed in court."
Meanwhile, NewJeans members unilaterally notified ADOR of contract termination in November 2024, citing reasons such as the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin and ADOR’s breach of management duties. This escalated into a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract. After approximately one year of dispute, the court ruled that the exclusive contract with ADOR remained valid. Immediately after the first trial ruling, NewJeans members expressed intent to appeal, but in November of last year, members Hae-rin and Hye-in decided to return to ADOR. Subsequently, Minji, Ha-ni, and Daniel also notified their intent to return, effectively concluding the contract dispute in ADOR’s favor.
Following this, Ha-ni decided to continue with ADOR, respecting the court’s ruling, and Minji is still in discussions with ADOR. However, ADOR notified Daniel of contract termination, holding him, one family member of Daniel, and former CEO Min Hee-jin responsible for causing this dispute, the group’s departure, and delayed return. ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking 4.31 billion Korean won in damages against them.
Source: https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2026/01/28/DIPKZQVN5FCV7BZQMW23D4CTLE/
Amid a press conference held by former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin regarding allegations of 'NewJeans tampering,' ADOR has released its official stance.
Min’s side conducted the press conference on the 28th in a location in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and claimed that the suspicion of 'NewJeans tampering' was not instigated by Min but rather involved "the family of one NewJeans member and a specific businessperson colluding to manipulate the stock market."
Min’s side alleged that the father of one member introduced his brother, Mr. A, and proposed entrusting negotiations with HYBE to him. During this process, Mr. A and businessman Mr. B allegedly conspired to use Min and NewJeans members as a ‘theme stock’ to inflate stock prices.
Regarding this, ADOR conveyed a brief statement to OSEN on the 28th, saying, "If there are claims, they can be discussed in court."
Meanwhile, NewJeans members unilaterally notified ADOR of contract termination in November 2024, citing reasons such as the dismissal of former CEO Min Hee-jin and ADOR’s breach of management duties. This escalated into a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the exclusive contract. After approximately one year of dispute, the court ruled that the exclusive contract with ADOR remained valid. Immediately after the first trial ruling, NewJeans members expressed intent to appeal, but in November of last year, members Hae-rin and Hye-in decided to return to ADOR. Subsequently, Minji, Ha-ni, and Daniel also notified their intent to return, effectively concluding the contract dispute in ADOR’s favor.
Following this, Ha-ni decided to continue with ADOR, respecting the court’s ruling, and Minji is still in discussions with ADOR. However, ADOR notified Daniel of contract termination, holding him, one family member of Daniel, and former CEO Min Hee-jin responsible for causing this dispute, the group’s departure, and delayed return. ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking 4.31 billion Korean won in damages against them.
Source: https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2026/01/28/DIPKZQVN5FCV7BZQMW23D4CTLE/
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That Rhythm Hybe game is showing NewJeans as 4 members recently which it could just be removing Danielle as to not use her likeness going forward since they can't do that now but interesting they would do that while still having no more news on Minji.
I think that is the "innocent until guilty" line of thought that until Minji proactively comes out and rejects NJZ (or ador kicks her out) then she remains a NJZ member
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Well they changed some details about NewJeans profiles recently like the banner on Twitter which makes it more actively feel like an announcement is around the corner
In $17M ruling, Min Hee-jin appears to gain momentum in other suits, lose face with NewJeans fans
A court sided with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in her suit against HYBE, a ruling that effectively shifts the momentum back her way in a dispute that started in April 2024. Min is also set to receive 25.5 billion won ($17.7 million) from the parent label, but she may have lost something bigger — her reputation among NewJeans fans.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled Thursday that HYBE has to pay out Min's put option because the K-pop agency's unilateral termination of the shareholders' contract between the two parties was invalid. Analysts say that while the ruling may also strengthen her position in other ongoing lawsuits against HYBE, her whole "for NewJeans" argument has lost all power.
The court ruled in favor of Min in both her lawsuit seeking payment for shares under a put option agreement and HYBE’s lawsuit seeking confirmation that the shareholder agreement was terminated.
The court spent about two hours explaining the reasoning behind its decision, stating that “Min Hee-jin did seek ways to weaken HYBE’s control and independently control ADOR,” but "that alone cannot be seen as a material violation of the shareholder agreement."
If the ruling confirming the validity of Min’s put option right is finalized, HYBE will have to pay 25.5 billion won. The amount is considered exceptionally large even by K-pop industry executive standards.
In 2023, HYBE and Min signed a shareholder agreement that included the right to exercise a put option. NewJeans debuted in 2022 under ADOR, a company owned entirely by HYBE.
A put option grants the holder the right to sell a specific asset at a predetermined price at a specific time, regardless of the market price. Under the contract, if Min exercises the put option, she is entitled to receive 75 percent of her ADOR stake multiplied by 13 times ADOR’s average operating profit over the previous two years.
As of 2024, HYBE owned 80 percent of ADOR and Min 18 percent. HYBE notified Min in July 2024, four months before she exercised the put option, that it would terminate the agreement and would therefore not be obligated to buy her shares.
After the court ruled against the termination, HYBE immediately signaled its intent to appeal.
“We regret that our claims were not sufficiently accepted,” HYBE said in a statement following the ruling. “We plan to proceed with further legal steps, including an appeal, after reviewing the written judgment."
A domino effect on other suits?
Industry observers are focusing less on the outcome itself and more on the court’s reasoning, which may affect other lawsuits between HYBE and Min.
In addition to the put option case, three separate damages suits are ongoing. HYBE subsidiaries Belift Lab and Source Music have filed defamation lawsuits against Min seeking 2 billion won and 500 million won each.
In April 2024, Min held a press conference claiming that Belift Lab’s girl group ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans’ concept and that Source Music’s girl group Le Sserafim caused NewJeans to be neglected by HYBE. Separately, HYBE filed a 10 billion won damages suit against Min in December of last year, arguing that she was responsible for triggering the termination of its contract with NewJeans member Danielle.
But on HYBE's cited grounds for a breakdown of trust and contract termination, the court thought differently.
"It appears to be a legitimate issue to be raised,” said the court, regarding the plagiarism claims. The court also recognized Min's claim that HYBE recommended ADOR exaggerate album sales numbers by forcing the sales of CDs through distributors — a move referred to as "pushing albums" in K-pop jargon — potentially weakening HYBE's argument in the forthcoming suits.
Wins the trial, loses ‘NewJeans mom’ image
Min is already moving on to the next step of her career.
Earlier this year, she announced plans to debut a new boy band through her new label, ooak, which stands for "one of a kind." Her past success in planning and branding NewJeans continues to receive high recognition in the industry, resulting in heightened anticipation for the next K-pop band to come under her supervision.
Support from the NewJeans fandom, however, appears to have weakened.
Min recently claimed that she was caught up in "tampering" allegations because of a NewJeans member's family." "Tampering" refers to the act of poaching another artist from a different agency before their contracts are officially over, an act that Min has been accused of by HYBE.
HYBE has filed suits against Danielle, a former member of NewJeans, and Min for sabotaging the company's relationship with the other four NewJeans members. Members Hanni, Hyein and Haerin have returned to ADOR, and Minji is still in talks.
Some industry voices warn that the ruling could negatively affect investment in the entertainment business.
“The court appears to have interpreted the breakdown of trust, which is the foundation of shareholder agreements, very narrowly,” an executive at an entertainment company said. “If this becomes the norm, it may become difficult for the entertainment industry — where investments are made without certainty of success and profits are shared based on trust — to continue developing."
Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...er-suits-lose-face-with-NewJeans-fans/2523006
A court sided with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in her suit against HYBE, a ruling that effectively shifts the momentum back her way in a dispute that started in April 2024. Min is also set to receive 25.5 billion won ($17.7 million) from the parent label, but she may have lost something bigger — her reputation among NewJeans fans.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled Thursday that HYBE has to pay out Min's put option because the K-pop agency's unilateral termination of the shareholders' contract between the two parties was invalid. Analysts say that while the ruling may also strengthen her position in other ongoing lawsuits against HYBE, her whole "for NewJeans" argument has lost all power.
The court ruled in favor of Min in both her lawsuit seeking payment for shares under a put option agreement and HYBE’s lawsuit seeking confirmation that the shareholder agreement was terminated.
The court spent about two hours explaining the reasoning behind its decision, stating that “Min Hee-jin did seek ways to weaken HYBE’s control and independently control ADOR,” but "that alone cannot be seen as a material violation of the shareholder agreement."
If the ruling confirming the validity of Min’s put option right is finalized, HYBE will have to pay 25.5 billion won. The amount is considered exceptionally large even by K-pop industry executive standards.
In 2023, HYBE and Min signed a shareholder agreement that included the right to exercise a put option. NewJeans debuted in 2022 under ADOR, a company owned entirely by HYBE.
A put option grants the holder the right to sell a specific asset at a predetermined price at a specific time, regardless of the market price. Under the contract, if Min exercises the put option, she is entitled to receive 75 percent of her ADOR stake multiplied by 13 times ADOR’s average operating profit over the previous two years.
As of 2024, HYBE owned 80 percent of ADOR and Min 18 percent. HYBE notified Min in July 2024, four months before she exercised the put option, that it would terminate the agreement and would therefore not be obligated to buy her shares.
After the court ruled against the termination, HYBE immediately signaled its intent to appeal.
“We regret that our claims were not sufficiently accepted,” HYBE said in a statement following the ruling. “We plan to proceed with further legal steps, including an appeal, after reviewing the written judgment."
A domino effect on other suits?
Industry observers are focusing less on the outcome itself and more on the court’s reasoning, which may affect other lawsuits between HYBE and Min.
In addition to the put option case, three separate damages suits are ongoing. HYBE subsidiaries Belift Lab and Source Music have filed defamation lawsuits against Min seeking 2 billion won and 500 million won each.
In April 2024, Min held a press conference claiming that Belift Lab’s girl group ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans’ concept and that Source Music’s girl group Le Sserafim caused NewJeans to be neglected by HYBE. Separately, HYBE filed a 10 billion won damages suit against Min in December of last year, arguing that she was responsible for triggering the termination of its contract with NewJeans member Danielle.
But on HYBE's cited grounds for a breakdown of trust and contract termination, the court thought differently.
"It appears to be a legitimate issue to be raised,” said the court, regarding the plagiarism claims. The court also recognized Min's claim that HYBE recommended ADOR exaggerate album sales numbers by forcing the sales of CDs through distributors — a move referred to as "pushing albums" in K-pop jargon — potentially weakening HYBE's argument in the forthcoming suits.
Wins the trial, loses ‘NewJeans mom’ image
Min is already moving on to the next step of her career.
Earlier this year, she announced plans to debut a new boy band through her new label, ooak, which stands for "one of a kind." Her past success in planning and branding NewJeans continues to receive high recognition in the industry, resulting in heightened anticipation for the next K-pop band to come under her supervision.
Support from the NewJeans fandom, however, appears to have weakened.
Min recently claimed that she was caught up in "tampering" allegations because of a NewJeans member's family." "Tampering" refers to the act of poaching another artist from a different agency before their contracts are officially over, an act that Min has been accused of by HYBE.
HYBE has filed suits against Danielle, a former member of NewJeans, and Min for sabotaging the company's relationship with the other four NewJeans members. Members Hanni, Hyein and Haerin have returned to ADOR, and Minji is still in talks.
Some industry voices warn that the ruling could negatively affect investment in the entertainment business.
“The court appears to have interpreted the breakdown of trust, which is the foundation of shareholder agreements, very narrowly,” an executive at an entertainment company said. “If this becomes the norm, it may become difficult for the entertainment industry — where investments are made without certainty of success and profits are shared based on trust — to continue developing."
Source: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.co...er-suits-lose-face-with-NewJeans-fans/2523006
HYBE Ordered to Pay Min Hee-jin 25.6 Billion Won
In a legal dispute between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin over a 'shareholder agreement,' the court ruled in favor of former CEO Min. As HYBE's claims of an 'attempt to seize management rights' and other grounds for contract termination were not recognized, HYBE was ordered to pay approximately 25.6 billion Korean won in stock purchase funds to former CEO Min and others.
The 31st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Judge Nam In-soo) on the 12th ordered in the stock purchase fund claim lawsuit filed by former CEO Min's side against HYBE, "HYBE must pay approximately 22.5 billion Korean won to former CEO Min, 1.7 billion and 1.4 billion Korean won respectively to former ADOR directors, totaling 25.6 billion Korean won." The court dismissed HYBE's lawsuit seeking confirmation of the termination of the shareholder agreement against former CEO Min.
This lawsuit began in April 2024 when HYBE initiated a sudden audit, claiming that former CEO Min attempted to seize management rights. HYBE filed a breach of trust complaint, alleging that former CEO Min contacted external investors to spin off ADOR from HYBE. Former CEO Min countered, "HYBE is attempting retaliatory dismissal after I raised issues that HYBE's group 'ILLIT' copied ADOR's 'NewJeans,'" escalating the conflict.
The issue revolved around the stock purchase right (put option) specified in the shareholder agreement between HYBE and former CEO Min. In November 2024, when former CEO Min stepped down from her position as internal director, she notified HYBE of her intention to exercise her right to sell her shares back to the company at a predetermined price under the contract. HYBE had refused to pay, arguing that the contract itself was terminated because former CEO Min's attempt to seize management rights constituted a breach. However, the court ruled that the grounds for contract termination were insufficient, leaving HYBE obligated to pay the amount stipulated in the contract.
The key issue in this lawsuit was whether former CEO Min's exploration of an 'independence plan for ADOR' constituted a material breach undermining the essence of the contract. The court acknowledged, "Based on KakaoTalk messages, it is recognized that former CEO Min explored independence plans," but judged, "This was merely a conceptual plan premised on failed negotiations with HYBE and could not be executed without HYBE's consent." Regarding HYBE's allegation of an attempt to 'take NewJeans away,' the court stated, "There is insufficient evidence to conclusively determine that she attempted to defect with the members."
Concerning former CEO Min's message, which HYBE criticized as "ADOR will become an empty shell if I leave," the court stated, "This merely mentioned the fact that ADOR's value would decline if she were to leave." HYBE claimed this indicated an attempt to take NewJeans away and terminate their exclusive contracts, but the court ruled it was unrelated to any 'attempt to take NewJeans.'
The court also ruled that former CEO Min's raising of suspicions about 'ILLIT copying NewJeans (Copy·Plagiarism)' and exposing HYBE's 'album pushing' did not constitute contract breaches. Regarding the plagiarism allegations, the court stated, "These are mere value judgments or expressions of opinion and cannot be considered the dissemination of false information." Concerning the exposure of album pushing, the court noted, "It appears HYBE did indeed encourage album pushing, and raising this issue contributed to establishing order in album distribution." The court viewed these actions as legitimate business judgments.
The court added, "The grounds for termination claimed by HYBE are abstract or minor ancillary obligations," and "they are not significant enough to justify the damages former CEO Min would suffer, such as the loss of her put option, if the contract were terminated."
Unlike former CEO Min securing a large put option payment, NewJeans members lost a lawsuit against ADOR over their exclusive contracts. In October of last year, the 41st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Judge Jung Hoe-il) ruled in favor of ADOR in the lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contracts with NewJeans members. At the time, the court stated, "The dismissal of former CEO Min does not imply a vacuum or impossibility in management duties under the exclusive contracts," and "the members' personal trust in former CEO Min alone does not make maintaining her CEO position an obligation under the exclusive contracts."
Following this ruling, the members returned to ADOR. However, ADOR terminated the exclusive contract with Danielle at the end of last year and filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 43 billion Korean won in damages from Danielle's family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, citing their responsibility for significant disruptions to NewJeans' activities.
Source: https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/02/12/WMCKXEMNLFHB5OJ6HR3W3YHKR4/
In a legal dispute between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin over a 'shareholder agreement,' the court ruled in favor of former CEO Min. As HYBE's claims of an 'attempt to seize management rights' and other grounds for contract termination were not recognized, HYBE was ordered to pay approximately 25.6 billion Korean won in stock purchase funds to former CEO Min and others.
The 31st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Judge Nam In-soo) on the 12th ordered in the stock purchase fund claim lawsuit filed by former CEO Min's side against HYBE, "HYBE must pay approximately 22.5 billion Korean won to former CEO Min, 1.7 billion and 1.4 billion Korean won respectively to former ADOR directors, totaling 25.6 billion Korean won." The court dismissed HYBE's lawsuit seeking confirmation of the termination of the shareholder agreement against former CEO Min.
This lawsuit began in April 2024 when HYBE initiated a sudden audit, claiming that former CEO Min attempted to seize management rights. HYBE filed a breach of trust complaint, alleging that former CEO Min contacted external investors to spin off ADOR from HYBE. Former CEO Min countered, "HYBE is attempting retaliatory dismissal after I raised issues that HYBE's group 'ILLIT' copied ADOR's 'NewJeans,'" escalating the conflict.
The issue revolved around the stock purchase right (put option) specified in the shareholder agreement between HYBE and former CEO Min. In November 2024, when former CEO Min stepped down from her position as internal director, she notified HYBE of her intention to exercise her right to sell her shares back to the company at a predetermined price under the contract. HYBE had refused to pay, arguing that the contract itself was terminated because former CEO Min's attempt to seize management rights constituted a breach. However, the court ruled that the grounds for contract termination were insufficient, leaving HYBE obligated to pay the amount stipulated in the contract.
The key issue in this lawsuit was whether former CEO Min's exploration of an 'independence plan for ADOR' constituted a material breach undermining the essence of the contract. The court acknowledged, "Based on KakaoTalk messages, it is recognized that former CEO Min explored independence plans," but judged, "This was merely a conceptual plan premised on failed negotiations with HYBE and could not be executed without HYBE's consent." Regarding HYBE's allegation of an attempt to 'take NewJeans away,' the court stated, "There is insufficient evidence to conclusively determine that she attempted to defect with the members."
Concerning former CEO Min's message, which HYBE criticized as "ADOR will become an empty shell if I leave," the court stated, "This merely mentioned the fact that ADOR's value would decline if she were to leave." HYBE claimed this indicated an attempt to take NewJeans away and terminate their exclusive contracts, but the court ruled it was unrelated to any 'attempt to take NewJeans.'
The court also ruled that former CEO Min's raising of suspicions about 'ILLIT copying NewJeans (Copy·Plagiarism)' and exposing HYBE's 'album pushing' did not constitute contract breaches. Regarding the plagiarism allegations, the court stated, "These are mere value judgments or expressions of opinion and cannot be considered the dissemination of false information." Concerning the exposure of album pushing, the court noted, "It appears HYBE did indeed encourage album pushing, and raising this issue contributed to establishing order in album distribution." The court viewed these actions as legitimate business judgments.
The court added, "The grounds for termination claimed by HYBE are abstract or minor ancillary obligations," and "they are not significant enough to justify the damages former CEO Min would suffer, such as the loss of her put option, if the contract were terminated."
Unlike former CEO Min securing a large put option payment, NewJeans members lost a lawsuit against ADOR over their exclusive contracts. In October of last year, the 41st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Judge Jung Hoe-il) ruled in favor of ADOR in the lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contracts with NewJeans members. At the time, the court stated, "The dismissal of former CEO Min does not imply a vacuum or impossibility in management duties under the exclusive contracts," and "the members' personal trust in former CEO Min alone does not make maintaining her CEO position an obligation under the exclusive contracts."
Following this ruling, the members returned to ADOR. However, ADOR terminated the exclusive contract with Danielle at the end of last year and filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 43 billion Korean won in damages from Danielle's family and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, citing their responsibility for significant disruptions to NewJeans' activities.
Source: https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/02/12/WMCKXEMNLFHB5OJ6HR3W3YHKR4/
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I love it. sure she was trying to steal but didnt..... so you still gotta pay her.
They pretty much agreed she did everything HYBE said she did but cant pull the rug.
Likely a function of the batshit crazy work laws in Korea.
Its super hard to actually fire ppl. Companies pay ppl for years to not come to work.
The law is wack
They pretty much agreed she did everything HYBE said she did but cant pull the rug.
Likely a function of the batshit crazy work laws in Korea.
Its super hard to actually fire ppl. Companies pay ppl for years to not come to work.
The law is wack
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i would say any decision that they have to explain for 2 hours they know is bull shit, they just want to warp the law to rule that way.
HYBE is appealing ofc. I would bet they can get it reduced by a % to when her bad actions started at worst.
She was clearly attempting to violate teh contract, just because they fired her before her attempt and plans came to fruition by the courts own statements. Her lack of success is not enough of a violation.....
The law is a game with so much wiggle room that there is barely a semblance of consistency.
ofc at the end of the day giving her that contract was stupid , and you can bet no one will ever geta contact similar to that again in Korea.
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![Donation [VillageIdiot]](https://kpopsource.com/data/medal/1186_1673936843m.jpg)
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The court's break down says the opposite. She wasn't planning to steal Ador, sabotage Hybe groups or take NewJeans.
This big master plan Hybe had been lying about for 2 years was just her wanting to sell her shares and buy a larger share of Ador with her puts. All legal and she couldn't do it without Hybe's explicit permission
Why is bullshit my friend? the judge interpreted the law as he saw fit (I assume it was a he) if one party disagreed with that decision they can appeal which is what Hybe is doing.
Whether she violated the contract or not is a question of law and fact and the judge decided that she didn't. Obviously you can have a different opinion to the judge and think that the judge decided wrong - that's fine that's your opinion
The law is a game with so much wiggle room that there is barely a semblance of consistency. yes that's why we have appeals and different judges having different opinions - I mean the previous judge in the NJZ case said one thing about plagiarism and this judge said another. It doesn't either judge is wrong but it just means different judges have different perceptions of what they consider the law is and ultimately when hybe appeals it will be up to an appeal judge with more power and authority to determine
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