Showing posts with label Min Heejin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Min Heejin. Show all posts

Thursday, July 2, 2026

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SOURCE: (1) 어도어 "민희진, 뉴진스 라이브 방송 지시했다" (2) "민희진, 뉴진스 라이브 방송·'전속계약 해지선언'까지 지시"

The ongoing legal battle between ADOR, NewJeans, and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin (who is now the CEO of OOAK Records) just took an absolutely wild turn.

On the 2nd, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Agreement Division 31 held the third hearing for ADOR’s damages lawsuit against Danielle, her family, and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin.

ADOR is suing them for alleged breaches of exclusive contract, and while they originally demanded 43.1 billion KRW, they’ve trimmed it down to 33.09 billion KRW. To back up the case, ADOR just dumped a mountain of evidence claiming that Min Heejin orchestrated a scheme to lure the girls away from the label. According to ADOR, Min Heejin was actively encouraging the members to terminate their contracts while she was an internal director and kept doing it even after she stepped down.

ADOR submitted a transcript from September 2, 2024 to the court. In it, Min Heejin allegedly persuaded the NewJeans’ members’ parents to push forward with that sudden emergency livestream they did. Her exact words were apparently:

“We need to create evidence for the contract termination lawsuit.”

It turns out that Min Heejin originally wanted to be in the livestream herself, but she explicitly stated that she had to remain completely separate from it because of tampering risks, which ADOR argues proves she knew exactly how legally dangerous her involvement was. About ten days later, the girls held the livestream demanding Min Heejin to be reinstated as CEO. This completely contradicts everything Min Heejin said before about trying to stop the members from doing the livestream.

ADOR also claims that around October 20, 2024, Min Heejin was aggressively pushing the parents to terminate the contracts. She promised them that even in the worst-case scenario, they wouldn’t suffer from any financial disadvantages and promised that if they left HYBE, she would personally prepare compensation to cover any potential lawsuit costs. ADOR slammed her for this, calling it ‘unthinkable behavior’ for someone who was serving as an internal director at the time

ADOR also submitted chat logs between Min Heejin and the parents from March 2025, where she allegedly told them:

“Let’s demand things ADOR can’t possibly accept and record the conversation.”

She followed them up by saying, “We need to get them to reject requests they were never going to agree to anyway. It’s not that we actually want to negotiate, we just need to build a justification or not going back.”

ADOR claims that even after losing their initial injunction case, Min Heejin was telling the parents of Minji and Danielle to use these exact tactics to create circumstances that would justify the girls not returning to ADOR.

The court also shed light on how deep Min Heejin’s hands were in the legal paperwork. During an injunction hearing on March 7, 2025, Min Heejin allegedly instructed NewJeans’ legal team to write:

“Please add that the debtor mocked us through their words and actions.”

This specific note was tied to the infamous ‘ignore her’ incident, where NewJeans’ attorney argued a BELIFT Lab manager told other artists to ‘ignore her and walk past’ Hanni, leading to a massive online hate toward ILLIT.

However, the court actually looked at CCTV footage and KakaoTalk messages and concluded that the phrase ‘ignore her’ didn’t even come from Hanni, but it was first introduced by Min Heejin.

When Hanni told Min Heejin that she thought she heard the manager say to ‘just pretend not to know her and walk past,’ Hanni literally added, “I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was something like that.” Min Heejin replied, “‘Ignore her’? Is that what they said?” The court noted that Hanni even admitted that one of the ILLIT members avoided eye contact but another actually greeted her, meaning the group did greet her, and the whole narrative was spun by Min Heejin.

Even after losing the injunction case, ADOR claims Min Heejin completely went rogue and led NewJeans’ into independent entertainment activities. She allegedly produced their performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong, created new music, set up NJZ profile photoshoots, and arranged a solo pictorial for Danielle.

Regarding ComplexCon, ADOR noted that Min Heejin directed the choreography, styling, and merch. They also revealed that she was set to receive US$500,000 as the event’s producer, which is significantly more than the $US350,000 all five NewJeans members were going to make combined. ADOR explained:

“It appears they considered to write this up as a separate consulting service contract, but abandoned the idea because it could be disadvantageous in future lawsuits, so they rolled it into the members’ contracts instead.”

To top it off, ADOR also submitted evidence that showed Min Heejin personally editing an email to the organizers asking them to block ADOR staff from entering the venue. This happened just two days before the concert, right after the court had legally ruled that ADOR’s contract with NewJeans was still 100% valid, leading ADOR to send staff over to support the girls’ performance.

Previously, Min Heejin’s side has consistently denied all allegations of ‘NewJeans tampering.’ In press conferences and other public statements, they’ve repeatedly maintained that ‘CEO Min Heejin bears zero responsibility for any alleged tampering regarding NewJeans.’

ADOR submits new evidence alleging Min Heejin masterminded NewJeans' contract termination strategy

Thursday, June 11, 2026

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According to a recent report by Ilgan Sports, ADOR claimed that former ADOR CEO Min Heejin (currently CEO of OOAK Records) actively orchestrated the termination of NewJeans members' exclusive contracts from behind the scenes.

During the second hearing of the damages lawsuit held by the Seoul Central District Court on the 11th, ADOR argued:

"It is undeniable that Min Heejin violated her duty of loyalty as an internal director and her duty of care as a manager. She encouraged the termination of the exclusive contracts."

ADOR's side presented social media conversation logs from October 2024 as evidence, emphasizing:

"The conversations show Min Heejin telling the NewJeans members' parents, 'I will personally design a plan so you would not suffer financial disadvantages' and 'I will prepare compensation if you left HYBE.' This prove that she actively persuaded and planned the termination of the exclusive contracts."

ADOR's side also pointed out that Danielle's family member also played a key role in the process. They raised suspicions by stating:

"They played the most leading role among the parents who sided with Min Heejin's unlawful actions."

ADOR further questioned, "In fact, it is questionable whether this entire matter was carried out solely based on the NewJeans members' own decision-making," adding:

"It appears that Min Heejin actively guided the process and Danielle's family member played the role as mediators between Min Heejin and the parents, as well as between the members themselves."

Meanwhile, ADOR is currently pursuing a damages lawsuit against Danielle, her family member, and former CEO Min Heejin on grounds of violating the exclusive contract. They have since reduced their claim from 43.1 billion KRW to 33.09 billion KRW.

ADOR's side claims Min Heejin 'promised compensation if they left HYBE' to NewJeans' parents

According to Sports Kyunghyang, former ADOR CEO Min Heejin has lost all major criminal complaints she filed against HYBE and BELIFT LAB executives. The prosecution ruled in favor of HYBE regarding allegations of spreading false information, illegal surveillance, and plagiarism raised by Min Heejin, stating ther her claims 'cannot be viewed as false or constitute a justified exercises of authority.'

On the 10th Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that on May 27, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office dismissed all complaints filed by Min Heejin against six HYBE executives, including former CEO Park Jiwon, and four BELIFT LAB executives, including CEO Kim Taeho.

The prosecutors sided with HYBE on the highly controversial 'shaman-based management' allegations. They determined that the contents released by HYBE were not false. During the investigation process, KakaoTalk messages were reportedly confirmed showing Min Heejin discussing ADOR's management issues with a shaman on multiple occasions. The prosecutors concluded that while the phrase 'shaman-based management' was somewhat exaggerated, it was difficult to view it as 'false information' that contitutes defamation.

The prosecutors also rejected Min Heejin's allegation that HYBE ilegally accessed her emails and her close associate's messenger accounts, which she had claimed as a violation of Information and Communications Network Laws. The prosecutors determined that HYBE's action fell within its lawful audit authority, citing she had signed the security agreements and personal information consent forms when she joined ADOR. In particular, the prosecutors reportedly confirmed that former VP Lee Sangwoo voluntarily provided his password, further weakening the 'illegal surveillance' claim.

Min Heejin's claim that ILLIT had copied NewJeans also failed to persuade the prosecutors, citing the previous court ruling that stated, "There were some similarities, but it is difficult to consider it as a copy." As a result, BELIFT LAB's statement that argued, "ILLIT did not copy NewJeans," was recognized as an expression of opinion rather than defamation.

Ultimately, Min Heejin's attempt to overturn the police's previous decision not to refer the case to the prosecutors was unsuccessful. Previously, when the police decided in July of last year not to pursue charges against HYBE and BELIFT LAB executives, Min Heejin had filed an objection. However, even after supplementary investigations, the prosecutors did not change their conclusion, leaving the criminal lawsuit battle ending in a complete victory for HYBE.

However, the 25.5 billion KRW put-option lawsuit which Min Heejin won this February is based on entirely different legal standards. The main issue in that lawsuit is which party violated the shareholder agreement. Even if Min Heejin discussed management matters with a shaman or plotted independence plans, the court had previously ruled that her actions were not significant enough to terminate the shareholders' agreement.

HYBE is now expected to use the result of these cases as their ammunition in the ongoing put-option appeal trial. Meanwhile, Min Heejin's side is expected to counter that HYBE's obligation to pay for the shares according to the terms of the contracts still remains valid, regardless of the criminal findings.

In the end, the true winner and loser of this situation is expected to be determined only when the final ruling in the put-option lawsuit, which involves tens of billion KRW, is delivered.

COMMENTS:

1. [+87][-27] If she was going to fight, she should've just fought by herself. Why did she have to drag NewJeans into it? Even if she didn't mean to, she should've thought about those young girls' futures and stopped it all from happening.

2. [+86][-32] The girls' life are now ruined and it's all because of your greed.

3. [+44][-6] This nutcase is still making the news?ㅡㅡ ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

4. [+21][-20] Let's be completely honest. Her story didn't add up and was weird from the very beginning. The reporters and public were taking her side only because it looked entertaining. Thanks to that, professionalism and basic etiquette in the K-pop industry have gone out the window now and a globally successful idol group with a bright future suffered serious damage. It's not just Min Heejin's fault. If only everyone had reacted with common sense when she was throwing tantrum, things wouldn't have ended up like this. The media and the public are also to blame here.

5. [+21][-18] Many of idol groups that could replace NewJeans have debuted by now.

"The shaman conversations proven to be true" ... Min Heejin completely defeated in criminal lawsuit battle against HYBE executives

Monday, April 20, 2026

SOURCE: 민희진, 악플 소송 일부 승소…4명에 30만 원 배상

Former ADOR CEO and currently CEO of OOAK Records Min Heejin has partially won a damages lawsuit filed against malicious commenters.

On the 20th, JoongAng Ilbo reported, "The Seoul Western District Court ruled in two damages lawsuits filed by Min Heejin in February against 11 commenters, 4 of them must each pay 300,000 KRW, while claims against the remaining 7 were dismissed."

Previously, Min Heejin filled a lawsuit seeking damages of 3 million to 4 million KRW per person regarding malicious comments posted between April and May 2024. The comments reportedly included harsh insults such as 'trash' and 'thug.' Among them, statements like, "I knew she had a foul mouth, but I didn't realize her character was such trash," were also recognized as grounds for damages.

The court stated, "Even if the matter is a subject of public interest, expressions that go beyond the scope of opinion and become insulting are not permitted," and recognized the liability for some comments. In particular, the court judged certain comments to be 'expressions intended to degrade, mock, or scorn.

However, the court did not recognize the illegality of some expressions such as 'Wicked b*tch' or 'I don't think she's normal.' The court viewed these as expressions that emphasize personal opinions about the plaintiff's actions and attitude, and therefore did not constitute unlawful acts.

Meanwhile, the hearing date for the damages lawsuit filed by HYBE labels, BELIFT Lab and Source Music, against Min Heejin is scheduled for the 15th of next month.

Min Heejin partially wins lawsuit against malicious commenters ... 4 people ordered to pay 300,000 KRW each

Thursday, March 26, 2026

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SOURCE: ‘430억 손배소’ 어도어 측 “합의 가능”…먼저 제안한 민희진 측 “당혹”

ADOR, the agency of the group NewJeans, mentioned the possibility of a settlement regarding the 43 billion KRW damages lawsuit filed against former member Danielle and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin.

On the morning of the 26th, the Seoul Central District Court held the first preparatory hearing for the damages lawsuit filed by ADOR against Danielle and Min Heejin.

When the court asked, "Is there a possibility of settlement?" ADOR responded, "We don't see it as completely impossible."

In response, Danielle's side stated, "This is the first time we've heard the plaintiff (ADOR) mention a settlement, given that they terminated the exclusive contract and filed a lawsuit seeking a large penalty."

ADOR then explained, "By saying settlement is not impossible, we mean that as the lawsuit progresses and arguments are exchanged, there may be opportunities to discuss mediation or settlement. This case doesn't necessarily have to end with a court ruling. It could change depending on the trial process."

They added, "Our point is that the outcome of this case does not determine the group's return. That issue should be discussed separately from the lawsuit."

Danielle's side countered, "Denielle expressed her intention to return, but this case proceeded because the plaintiff terminated her contract."

Min Heejin's side stated, "It's bewildering that they are bringing up the possibility of settlement now, given that the trial is underway and this position has already been expressed before. We will review this and announce our position."

Previously, NewJeans' members declared the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR in 2024 due to a breakdown of trust, but the court ruled that their contracts were still valid. Afterward, Haerin and Hyein returned to ADOR, followed by Hanni.

On the other hand, Danielle ultimately failed to reach a final agreement on her exclusive contract with ADOR and left the group. ADOR announced they had notified Danielle of her contract termination last December and filed a 43 billion KRW lawsuit in penalties and damages against Danielle, one of her family members, and Min Heejin. The damages claimed against Min Heejin alone are reported to be around 10 billion KRW.

Meanwhile, while the court dismissed HYBE's lawsuit to confirm the termination of the shareholders' agreement against Min Heejin and two others in February. At the same time, the court ruled in favor of Min Heejin in her lawsuit regarding put-option rights, ordering HYBE to pay approximately 25.6 billion KRW. HYBE has since appealed this decision.

Following this, Min Heejin held a press conference and made a shocking proposal: she would give up the 25.6 billion KRW put option payment from HYBE if all lawsuits against her, NewJeans, and related parties were withdrawn. However, ADOR did not accept this offer.

'43 billion KRW damages lawsuit' ADOR says: "Settlement is possible" ... Min Heejin's side, who suggested it first, is bewildered

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

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SOURCE: 민희진 "방시혁, 창작의 자리서 만나자" 제안…5분 만에 회견 종료 (엑's 현장)[전문]

CEO of OOAK Records (and former CEO of ADOR) Min Heejin publicly proposed to HYBE to end all disputes.

On the 25th, after winning the first trial against HYBE in the lawsuit seeking payment for her shares, Min Heejin held a press conference in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

This day, Min Heejin started by greeting the reporters and shared, "Hello. The result of this lawsuit felt like comfort that has washed away the wounds of the past two years."

She continued, "I have decided to exchange the 25.6 billion KRW I won from the trial for another value," explaining the reason for the press conference. She added, "There is something I value much more than this large sum of money. Therefore, I would like to make a meaningful proposal to HYBE."

Min Heejin proposed, "I will give up the 25.6 billion KRW. In exchange, I propose that all ongoing lawsuits be immediately halted and that all disputes to be ended immediately." She emphasized that this decision is for the sake of NewJeans' members. She noted that this proposal includes ending all legal actions not only against herself, but also NewJeans' members, external partner companies, former ADOR employees, and the fans.

She added sadly, "I can no longer bear to watch the five members who should be happily standing on stage, standing in court instead."

She ten proposed, "HYBE and Chairman Bang Sihyuk. Let us now meet as creators, not in the courtroom."

Previously, on the 12th, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the lawsuit HYBE had filed to seek confirmation of termination of the shareholder agreement with Min Heejin. In the separate lawsuit that Min Heejin had filed regarding the exercise of her 'put option,' the court ruled that HYBE must pay her approximately 25.5 billion KRW.

However, HYBE has appealed the ruling of the first trial, which means that the legal battle is expected to continue in a second trial. Although Min Heejin applied for seizure and collection orders against HYBE's claims (bank accounts), HYBE requested the court to pause the payment until the ruling is finalized. The court accepted HYBE's request, temporarily suspending the seizure process.

Below is the full statement by Min Heejin.

Hello, this is Min Heejin.

First of all, I would like to express my deep respect and gratitude to the court for examining the essence of this case over a long period of time and making a clear decision.

From winning the injunction in 2024 to the police clearing me in 2025, and now winning this first trial in 2-26, it has truly been a long tunnel.

The court showed the claims of 'taking over management' and 'tampering' were not true and recognized that the concerns I raised about creative ethics were part of my job as a CEO.

The result of this lawsuit felt like comfort that has washed away the wounds of the past two years. At the same time, I feel bad for the stress this unintentionally caused to the public.

Now, I want to pay back that debt with a new vision for K-pop.

The reason I stand here today is to announce that I have decided to exchange the 25.6 billion KRW I have won for another value.

Among all the reasons behind this decision, the most urgent one is because of NewJeans' members.Among all the reasons behind this decision, the most urgent one is because of NewJeans' members.

I will give up the 25.6 billion KRW. In exchange, I propose that all ongoing lawsuits be immediately halted and that all disputes to be ended immediately. This proposal includes ending all legal actions not only against myself, but also NewJeans' members, external partner companies, former ADOR employees, and the fans.

Only when all these lawsuits end will the noise stop for the artists, their families, and the fans.

I can no longer bear to watch the five members who should be happily standing on stage, standing in court instead. The members on stage must also be suffering. Neither the fans or anyone else can look at this situation with happiness. We can never create a good culture with hearts that are torn apart like this.

As I have said many times, there are values more important than money to me. Now that my sincerity has been confirmed, I want to show that there are values more precious than money in this world.

I hope this decision to exchange 25.6 billion KRW for another value will help the overall development and unity within the K-pop industry.

The place where HYBE and I should be is not a court, but a stage for creation.

I had a creative vision when I launched NewJeans. I'm very sad that I couldn't finish it, but because of that, I ask ADOR to keep the promise they made in court to 'treat NewJeans well if they return.'

Please create an environment where all five members of NewJeans can be together and freely pursue their dreams.

To me, 25.6 billion KRW is not more important than estoring a healthy K-pop ecosystem and the artists' peace.

Now, I hope we all do our best in our own ways to present better stages to fans.

I propose that we adults go back to competing through music and stage, not in court. The longer this fight goes on, the more the true protagonists of this industry, which is the artists, suffer.

HYBE and Chairman Bang Sihyuk. Let us now meet as creators, not in the courtroom. In a time when company responsibility is very important, including the July 2025 revision of the Commercial Act, choosing to resolve risks in the entertainment industry and to pursue unity would be the wisest management decisions for shareholders and fans.

I will now leave behind the title of 'Former CEO of ADOR' and walk a new path as 'CEO of OOAK Records.' I will put all my energy to nurture new artists and build a new business direction that represents the K-pop industry.

Thank you to the media for coming today. I hope there are no more tiring press conferences after this.

I will now meet you on a creative stage, not in a press conference or courtroom. I will focus on what I do best, which is creative work. I hope my sincerity today becomes a turning point for the entire K-pop industry to breathe healthily again.

Today, the KOSPI surpassed 6,000. I hope HYBE will think carefully and consider this proposal so we can all succeed together.

Min Heejin proposes, "Bang Sihyuk, let's meet as creators" ... Press conference ends in just 5 minutes

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SOURCE: 민희진, 다니엘 살리기? "256억 포기할테니 뉴진스 5인 모이게 해달라"

Min Heejin announced that she is willing to give up her 25.6 billion KRW 'put option' for NewJeans.

On the 25th, CEO of OOAK Records (and former CEO of ADOR) Min Heejin held a press conference in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

On the 12th, the Seoul Central District ruled in favor of Min Heejijn in the lawsuits filed by HYBE, seeking confirmation of the termination of the shareholder agreement, and Min Heejin, seeking payment for shares. The court ordered HYBE to pay Min Heejin 25.5 billion KRW for her shares.

At the press conference, Min Heejin said, "I held this press conference to make a meaningful offer to HYBE. Among all the reasons behind this decision, the most urgent one is because of NewJeans' members." She added, "I will give up the 25.6 billion KRW. In exchange, I propose that all ongoing lawsuits be immediately halted and that all disputes to be ended immediately."

She emphasized, "I can no longer bear to watch the five members who should be happily standing on stage, standing in court instead. The members on stage must also be suffering. Neither the fans or anyone else can look at this situation with happiness." She added, "We can never create a good culture with hearts that are torn apart like this."

She continued, "I had a creative vision when I launched NewJeans. I'm very sad that I couldn't finish it, but because of that, I ask ADOR to keep the promise they made in court to 'treat NewJeans well if they return.'" She proposed, "Please create an environment where all five members of NewJeans can be together and freely pursue their dreams."

NewJeans unilaterally declared the termination of their exclusive contracts in November 2024, but the court ruled in favor of ADOR. As a result, Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni returned to ADOR, while Minji is still in discussions with the agency. However, ADOR notified Danielle of the termination of her exclusive contract and announced legal action at the same time, saying, "We will hold one family member of Danielle and former CEO Min Heejin legally responsible for causing this dispute, NewJeans' departure, and delaying the members' return."

Min Heejin, trying to save Danielle? "I will give up 25.6 billion KRW, so please let the 5 members of NewJeans reunite"

Monday, February 23, 2026

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SOURCE: 뉴진스는 ‘망했’는데, 민희진은 ‘회생’한 이유

NewJeans suffered a 'complete defeat,' but their so-called 'mother' Min Heejin (former CEO of ADOR, current CEO of OOAK Records) achieved a 'complete victory.' Some NewJeans' members were judged to have joined a planned media battle and now face lawsuits seeking hundreds of billions of KRW in penalties. Meanwhile Min Heejin, who was accused of making the plan, successfully recovered and secured 25.5 billion KRW from her 'put option.'

According to the first trial rulings of two separate lawsuits on the 23rd, the different courts for NewJeans' contract termination case (Civil Division 41) and Min Heejin's 'put option' case (Civil Division 31) reached different conclusions on the same issues and evidence, causing confusion.

■ The same ‘independence plan’: 'A planned trick' vs. 'Not a reason to strip hundreds of billions'

The main contradiction is how the two courts interpreted the Kakao Talk evidence containing Min Heejin's 'media battle plan.'

In the NewJeans case, the court focused on Min Heejin's alleged instruction for an executive to ghostwrite statements for the parents. She said, "It would be better if the mothers report it to the Fair Trade Commission," and "I don't actually care about improving punishments... The goal is the public announcement."

That court concluded that this was "Min Heejin's tampering is a pre-meditated planning for her own independence, not to protect NewJeans," and dismissed NewJeans' claims.

However, the court in Min Heejin's case saw it differently.

While acknowledging that Min Heejin's media play may have been improper, the court ruled that it was not a serious crime enough to take away her right to hundreds of billions of KRW. This court stated, "To break a shareholder agreement involving financial interests, such as a put option estimated at up to 100 billion KRW by 2025, there must be a 'serious violation,' not just a loss of trust."

The court viewed Min Heejin's independence plans as just 'private talk' that was never carried out or was based on getting HYBE's approval. Therefore, the court felt it was not a reason to revoke her 'put option.'

■ Subject of ‘betrayal’: 'NewJeans' sudden termination' VS 'HYBE's sudden media play'

The courts also disagreed on who broke the trust first.

The court for NewJeans' case called the group's sudden contract termination as 'an intentional act to worsen the conflict by creating the 'appearance' that the other side (HYBE) did something wrong in order to avoid penalties.' It found that NewJeans sided with Min Heejin's plan and unilaterally destroyed trust.

On the other hand, the court for Min Heejin's case pointed to HYBE as the party who damaged the trust. The court noted, "Min Heejin's complaints remained internal until HYBE made them fully public through an exclusive article on April 22, 2024."

■ Reassessment of allegations: Acknowledging the practices of 'pushing out' album sales

The suspicions raised by Min Heejin about ILLIT copying NewJeans and that HYBE engaged in 'pushing out' album sales also received opposite interpretations.

The court for NewJeans' case treated these as 'excuses made quickly to end the contract,' but the court for Min Heejin's case judged them as a 'fair internal whistleblowing and an exercise of managerial rights.'

The court for Min Heejin's case specifically stated that HYBE's practices of 'pushing out' album sales actually happened.

This court stated, "At the time, HYBE's CEO Park Jiwon appeared to have suggested 'pushing out' NewJeans' album sales to ADOR. Also, the head of HYBE Japan planning team used the term 'pushing volume' on August 4, 2023. There is evidence to suspect this," adding, "Inflating first-week sales to promote chart rankings harms fair distribution and deserves criticism."

Furthermore, the court stated, "Min Heejin's allegations may have helped ADOR by preventing it from happening again and establishing the market order." The court considered her actions as raising issues of public interest, as she called for investigation and countermeasures regarding matters that could disturb the album market order at a major corporation like HYBE."

Regarding ILLIT's plagiarism allegations, the court also cleared her, saying, "It was a management decision to protect her key asset (NewJeans) and it was a fair issue to raise. It did not constitute the spread of false information."

Why NewJeans 'went downhill' while Min Heejin 'survived'

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SOURCE: [단독] "일본 귀족 할아버지도 만났다"...민희진, 뉴진스 파국의 설계

NewJeans stated at their contract termination press conference: “We will carry out all previously scheduled activities as planned.” (November 28, 2024)

The very next day, they changed their words, informing ADOR that they refuse to participate in activities: “We don’t think we’ll be able to film content for the Japanese fan club.” (November 29, 2024)

NewJeans boycotted the filming for fan club kit, New Year's greetings, and ID that are usually done every January. Instead, they flew to Japan to meet a grandfather. His name is Kazumichi Goh, known to be a Japanese aristocrat. He is 73 years olds.

Who called (NewJeans?) It was Min Heejin.

① The Aristocrat Grandfather

Kazumichi Goh, born in 1954, is a big name in the Japanese racing world. He started 'Team Goh' in 1996 and won the championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2004.

He is known as a wealthy businessman. His maternal grandfather was Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of Bridgestone. Meanwhile, his paternal granfather is Goh Takasaburo, who served as an executive director at Nissin Seifun Group.

Min Heejin reportedly met Kazumichi Goh at the end of 2024. According to an insider, it was not just for a social gathering. A source claimed, "At the time, Min Heejin needed money. Then, she was introduced to the Japanese grandfather."

Min Heejin even called NewJeans to Tokyo. She gathered the whole group to meet this grandfather. Kazumichi Goh is said to be a huge fans of NewJeans. It appears that Min Heejin took advantage of this fact.

② The Tokyo Meetings

According to Dispatch's investigation, NewJeans met this grandfather in Japan at least three times. The whole group reportedly traveled together in January to see him. They also went in March and April, both separately and together.

NewJeans also celebrated this grandfather's special day, reportedly presenting him birthday gifts and handwritten letters. An insider close to NewJeans said, "Min Heejin told them he was an important person. The members were confused, but they still prepared the gifts as they were told."

What was Min Heejin 'planning' with this grandfather? A source speculated, "They began meeting after declaring the contract termination. It seems like they discussed investments."

In March 2025, NewJeans released 'Pitstop' under the name NJZ. Was it a tribute song for Kazumichi Goh? It could be, especially considering that ComplexCon was also a project led by Min Heejin.

③ “Pitstop”

On March 7, 2025, at the Seoul Central District Court, the court asked, "How are you preparing for the Hong Kong performance?" Even in court that day, NewJeans' side covered for Min Heejin. They reportedly lied to the court, saying, "The organizer is providing support."

"We haven't yet secured a production company or an agent for the show yet. We will do that once the court decision is out and problems are solved. For now, the organizer is providing the necessary staff." (Sejong)

Dispatch obtained the contract between NewJeans and Hong Kong ComplexCon. NewJeans' appearance fee was 350,000 USD. That is approximately 500 million KRW. The consulting fee was 500,000 USD (including staff expenses and other fees).

Min Heejin, the members' parents, and the lawyers reportedly discussed the contract in a group chart. They finalized it on December 18, 2024. However, Min Heejin did not put her name on the front to avoid legal problems such as 'tampering.'

④ Hong Kong Search

NewJeans used this stage as a stepping stone for their independent activities. They went ahead with the performance and unveiled their new song 'Pitstop' against the court's decision. What did Min Heejin want to show at the Hong Kong show?

Bonnie Chan Woo. She is a leading figure in Chinese pop culture industry. As the CEO of 'Complex China,' she hosted the Hong Kong show. It turns out, Bonnie had even sent a proposal to purchase ADOR from HYBE in October last year.

It is reported that Bonne offered to buy 80% of ADOR's shares for 400 billion KRW. In exchange she added the condition: "Hand over 100% of the rights to the artists' contracts and all management."

"We discussed this with NewJeans' representatives. They said that even if they lose the lawsuit, they have no intention of returning. If we acquire the shares, we plan to restart their creative work, including music production and shows, immediately." (Bonnie)

Who exactly are the 'NewJeans representatives' Bonnie refers to? The clear fact is that Min Heejin was constantly involved in the decision-making process. She was the unseen hand that prolonged NewJeans' dispute.

⑤ Claiming Damages

On March 21, 2025, NewJeans' independent activities were halted. The court accepted ADOR's request to 'preserve its status as the group's agency.' NewJeans reached a point where they couldn't leave ADOR to work independently.

However, on March 23, NewJeans announced, "We will attend Hong Kong ComplexCon under the name NJZ." At the same time, Min Heejin and Danielle's mother reportedly built the narrative that 'NewJeans and ADOR can not be together."

The following is a conversation between Min Heejin and Danielle's mother, obtained by Dispatch:

Danielle's mother: Can't the members refuse to attend ADOR events, saying they are under psychological pressure?

Danielle's mother: I think that would be helpful for the main lawsuit.

Min Heejin: Yes. Please post that on the (NJZ) PR account.

Danielle's mother: We should respond by saying they're anxious because they don't know how ADOR might interfere or hurt them.

Min Heejin: Please write it briefly. I will edit it.

Min Heejin reportedly wanted to overturn the court's decision in the main lawsuit. By claiming psychological distress and saying that 'The members feel anxious if ADOR is involved,' she attempted to build a reason to invalidate the exclusive contract. The person who edited this statement, according to the report, was Min Heejin.

⑥ Contract Termination

Min Heejin won the 'put option' lawsuit. The key to her victory was the court's argument that 'there were attempts, but they were not carried out.' In other words, a failed attempt became the reason she secured 25.5 billion KRW.

However, Min Heejin did more than just plan. She actually put her plans into action. According to the report, NewJeans' press conference declaring contract termination at 7.30 PM on November 28, 2024, was her work.

Dispatch obtained evidence that Min Heejin directed the event from behind the scenes. There is also testimony that Min Heejin personally wrote the script for the press conference and had the members memorize it.

Min Heejin was also reportedly involved in preparing rebuttal press releases. She even decided when and how to send them out. Although the statements were released under NewJeans' names, but the ghostwriter was said to be Min Heejin.

⑦ The Essence of the Business

On November 14, 2024, NewJeans sent a legal notice. They demanded, "Bring Min Heejin back as CEO." At the same time, they requested an apology from HYBE. The deadline for an answer was two weeks.

Six days after the legal notice was sent (the 20th), Min Heejin submitted her resignation. She also posted a message saying, "One person's malicious actions should not damage the essence of the business. It was really wrong."

After Min Heejin resigned, NewJeans announced their contract termination. They protected Min Heejin by saying, "We did not have separate discussions with CEO Min Heejin. We believe she feels the same way as we do."

Although Min Heejin was an internal director at ADOR, report claims she planned NewJeans’ contract termination from behind the scenes. Then, she quit the company one week before the press conference. This is speculated to be a trick to avoid potential charges such as breach of trust.

⑧ The True Colors of the Plan

"It is recognized that she looked for ways to become independent…. However, after HYBE started its audit on April 22, 2024, the independence plans mentioned in the KakaoTalk chats seem to have stopped there." (The Court)

Min Heejin secured 25.5 billion KRW through her planning 'skills.' But how will the 'memory' of these plans be recorded?

Allegations include: attempting inappropriate relationships with a senior executive; looking for investors for escape strategies; designing contract termination while serving as an internal director; using the members to meet the 'grandfather'; testing independent activities through the Hong Kong stage; and trying to steal the group using the name NJZ.

Min Heejin consistently explored options. The only reason she couldn't complete the actions was because she was caught. It was not just about calculations, she allegedly stopped only after being exposed, but (while hiding) she continued to shake the company. As a result, Min Heejin is 'OOAK' and only NewJeans ended up 'Not OOAK' (NB: OOAK is pronunced like the word 'okay')

"They even met the Japanese aristocrat grandfather" ... Min Heejin, the one behind NewJeans' downfall

Friday, February 20, 2026

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SOURCE: BTS 뷔 "민희진, 내 동의없이 카톡 제출 당황…특정 편 서려는 의도 없어" [전문]

V has his position regarding the Kakao Talk messages used as evidence in the legal battle between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin.

On the 20th, V stated through his account, "This was part of a private, daily conversation I shared with my acquaintance to show empathy. I have absolutely no intention of taking either side."

He continued, "However, I'm very taken aback that this conversation was submitted as evidence without my consent."

Previously, on the 12th, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on two lawsuits, including HYBE's lawsuit to confirm the termination of the shareholder agreement and Min Heejin's lawsuit to seek for payment for her shares. The court dismissed HYBE's claims and ruled that HYBE must pay approximately 25.5 billion KRW to Min Heejin.

It is reported that the court saw Min Heejin's allegations that ILLIT copied NewJeans as a fair opinion. During this process, Min Heejin's side submitted Kakao Talk messages she exchanged with V as an evidence, which the court accepted.

According to a news report on the 20th, V reportedly told Min Heejin in the message, "(People always talk about plagiarism, it never stops) Sigh... I know right. I also saw it and thought 'this looks similar...'" The court also noted that HYBE's Chairman Bang Sihyuk produced ILLIT's debut album.

After seeing these reports, V personally addressed on his personal social media, expressing how flustered he was that Min Heejin’s side submitted the messages as evidence without his permission.

BTS V: "I'm surprised that Min Heejin submitted our Kakao Talk messages without my consent ... I had no intention of taking sides"

, ,

SOURCE: "이거 비슷한데…" 뷔-민희진 카톡, '아일릿-뉴진스 카피 의혹' 재판 증거 됐다

While former ADOR CEO Min Heejin won the 26 billion KRW legal battle against HYBE, a Kakao Talk message from BTS' V is included in the court ruling, drawing attention.

On the 12th, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Min Heejin in the lawsuit she filed against HYBE. The court recognized the exercise of her 'put option' and ordered HYBE to pay approximately 25.5 billion KRW.

According to the first trial verdict obtained by this paper on the 20th, the court judged that HYBE was the one who first spread the conflict to the public through media play. Also, the court determined that Min Heejin's suspicions of ILLIT copying NewJeans was an expression of opinion rather than defamation.

Notably, the court drew attention as they accepted the Kakao Talk message between V and Min Heejin as evidence. In the messages, V reportedly said, "(People always talk about plagiarism, it never stops) Sigh... I know right. I also saw it and thought 'this looks similar...'"

Previously, V had asked Min Heejin to be the head producer for his first solo album, Layover, released in 2023. At the time, Big Hit Music stated that at V's request, Min Heejin led the entire production, including music, choreography, design, and promotions.

Later, after Min Heejin's injunction against HYBE was dismissed in 2024, she appeared on the Youtube channel 'Kim Youngdae's School of Music,' where she shared, "V occasionally contacts me from the military," adding, " Since I've been going through this situation, he asked me if I was okay."

Meanwhile, HYBE filed an appeal on the 19th and is continuing to fight the court's decision.

'This looks similar...' V and Min Heejin's Kakao Talk messages submitted as evidence in the 'ILLIT-NewJeans copy allegations' trial

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SOURCE: [단독] "하이브, 언플로 먼저 민희진 배신" 재판부 작심 비판

HYBE has 'completely lost' in the shareholder agreement lawsuit against Min Heejin. The court rejected most of HYBE's claims and emphasized that HYBE was the one who damaged the trust first. Notably, the court also pointed out HYBE's aggressive media play, which has been constantly criticized by people in the industry.

According to the first trial verdict obtained by this paper on the 20th, the Seoul Central District Court stated that HYBE was the first to bring the conflict to the public. In other words, HYBE started the media play first.

■ “HYBE started media play first... HYBE is the one who broke the trust”

The court stated, "The protest emails sent by Min Heejin’s side on April 3 and April 16, 2024 showed that the conflict remained internal. However, HYBE’s exclusive news report on April 22, 2024 made the conflict completely public." They added, "Min Heejin’s press conference that was held that same day appears to be based on her right to defend herself."

The court also pointed out that the timing of HYBE's audit and the media reports overlapped. The court said, "On April 22, 2024, HYBE launched an audit for ADOR. They demanded Min Heejin to resign from the CEO position and began the process to fire her." They noted, "On the same day, an exclusive article was reported with the title 'HYBE Launches Sudden Audit on ADOR, the Agency of NewJeans.'"

The court continued, "Although HYBE claimed Min Heejin would have used NewJeans to sell ADOR shares at a low price and take the loss, there appears to be no evidence that HYBE had identified this in advance and taken proper action."

Most importantly, the court explicitly stated that the decline in HYBE's stock price was caused by their own excessive media play.

The court said, "HYBE's stock price dropped significantly (7.8%) on April 22, 2024. This decline seems to be the result of the conflict becoming public through the exclusive article and the heated battle that followed." They added, "In their breach-of-duty complaint, HYBE claimed a loss of 800 billion KRW in market value, which seems to reflect this stock trend."

■ “Nothing more than private talk without action” ... Claims of ‘management takeover’ and ‘stealing NewJeans’ claims all rejected

The court did not accept most of HYBE's arguments.

Regarding HYBE's claim that ‘Min Heejin tried to steal management rights,’ the court said, "It is true that she looked for ways to weaken HYBE's control over ADOR and to rule the agency independently. However, these were plans she made on the condition that her contract negotiations failed and assuming she had the owner's consent after exercising er 'put option' rights in 2025. The court ruled, "Simply looking for ways to make ADOR independent can not be seen as a serious violation of the shareholders' agreement."

The court also dismissed HYBE's claim that 'Min Heejin tried to steal NewJeans.' The court stated, "A director’s actions are within their management freedom, so she cannot be held responsible for damages to the company."

In other words, the court judged that the 'betrayal' HYBE claimed: 1. was just a casual conversation that wasn't put into action, 2. was only a hypothetical scenario based on HYBE's consent, and 3. that HYBE broke the trust by hastily launching an audit and leaking it to the media.

■ The truth behind the “ILLIT is a NewJeans copycat” controversy

Additionally, the court also judged Min Heejin's suspicion that 'ILLIT copied NewJeans' as a fair opinion. The court said, "Her claim wasn't about specific items, but that ILLIT's overall impression is similar to NewJeans. This is an expression of opinion or judgment, not a statement of fact."

The court also accepted Kakao Talk messages between BTS' V and Min Heejin as evidence. At the time, V reportedly said, "(People always talk about plagiarism, it never stops) Sigh... I know right. I also saw it and thought 'this looks similar...'" Furthermore, the court acknowledged that HYBE's Chairman, Bang Sihyuk, produced ILLIT's debut album.

■ “NewJeans value is 2 trillion KRW, same level as BLACKPINK” ... Recognition of Min Heejin’s achievements

The court even compared NewJeans to BLACKPINK, stating, "The only comparable girl group is BLACKPINK," and estimated that, "The fair value of ADOR within two years could reach 2 trillion KRW."

The court also noted, "Min Heejin's side had estimated ADOR's market value at 0.8 to 1.5 trillion KRW in early 2024. They compared NewJeans to BLACKPINK, noting that YG reached a peak market value of 1.8 trillion KRW because of BLACKPINK, before declining amid contract renewal risks. The 2 trillion KRW estimate assumes that the alliance between NewJeans, Min Heejin, and HYBE continues."

The court also accepted Min Heejin’s criticisms of HYBE as evidence.

During a meeting with HYBE on January 25, 2024, Min Heejin said, "If you have a conscience, stop exploiting them. Ever since NewJeans debuted, everyone inside and outside the company is copying them. PLEDIS, BELIFT Lab, everyone is all copying NewJeans." She added, "Former CEO Park Jiwon told me they're desperate to make a 'male NewJeans' and that I should make a boy group. In this situation, why would I be crazy enough to make a boy group when I know everything will be taken from me like this?"

Regarding this, the court quoted a document explaining why she was cleared of charges on breach of trust, mentioning that her actions were caused by resentment of semi-illegal practices, such as pushing high first-week album sales and copying between subsidiaries.

Because of this ruling, HYBE must pay Min Heejin and others 25.6 billion KRW for stock payments. On the other hand, all of HYBE's claims were dismissed. HYBE submitted an appeal on the 19th and is continuing to fight the court's decision.

"HYBE betrayed Min Heejin first with media play" Court gives harsh criticism

Friday, February 13, 2026

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SOURCE: 민희진, 255억 풋옵션 승소 후 '토끼 5마리'…뉴진스 암시하나

Former ADOR CEO Min Heejin left a meaningful message after winning her lawsuit against HYBE over the termination of shareholder agreement and the exercise of her 'put option.'

On the 12th, Min Heejin posted a video on her social media along with the caption that said, "It's all thanks to everyone's support."

The video shows a dinosaur character riding a bicycle down a road. Notably, the dinosaur was wearing clothes that are similar to what Min Heejin wore at a past press conference. At the end of the video, the phrase 'Only One Always Know' appeared along with the 'OOAK Records' logo, drawing attention.

Min Heejin also posted a screenshot from the video. It featured the dinosaur character, the OOAK Records logo, and five rabbits. She added a heart emoji pierced by an arrow, drawing further attention. Some speculate that the five rabbits may be hinting at the five members of NewJeans.

Previously, in November last year, Min Heejin notified HYBE her intention to use her 'put option' rights to sell her shares in ADOR. However, HYBE claimed that they had terminated their shareholder agreement in July, arguing that her 'put option' rights was no longer valid. Min Heejin countered, saying that the termination was unfair, leading to a legal battle between the two sides.

On this day, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed HYBE's claim that the shareholder agreement between them, Min Heejin, and two others was terminated. The court also ruled in favor of Min Heejin and two others in their lawsuit demanding payment for shares following the exercise of her 'put option' rights.

The court ordered HYBE to pay approximately 25.5 billion KRW to Min Heejin, and 1.7 billion KRW and 1.4 billion KRW to two former ADOR executives.

TOP COMMENTS:

1. [+784][-191] Doesn’t this mean she sacrificed those five rabbits to protect her own money?

2. [+723][-171] Does she mean she is satisfied now because she 'sold' the five rabbits and made 25.5 billion KRW?

3. [+388][-100] Is every rabbit supposed to be NewJeans now...?

4. [+59][-25] She is still acting like this, sigh.

5. [+48][-15] Do a thorough investigation on Bang Sihyuk instead. There hasn't been a single article about how much money he has been throwing around.

Min Heejin posts 'five rabbits' after winning 25.5 billion KRW lawsuit ... Hinting at NewJeans?

Thursday, February 12, 2026

SOURCE: [속보]'반전' 민희진 풋옵션 소송 이겼다 "계약 위반 NO, 255억 지급"

Former ADOR CEO Min Heejin has won a legal battle against HYBE regarding their shareholder agreement and her claim for payment following the exercise of her put option.

On the 12th, the Soul Central District held a sentence hearing for HYBE's lawsuit regarding the termination of their shareholder agreement against Min Heejin and Min Heejin's lawsuit demanding payment for her shares following her exercise of the put option. The court ruled, "HYBE's claims are dismissed and they shall bear the litigation costs. Additionally, Min Heejin's exercise of the put option is valid and HYBE must pay her approximately 25.5 billion KRW."

The court stated, "To terminate a contract because of a 'loss of trust,' there must be a very serious breach. Since HYBE owns 80% of ADOR, they have the authority to fire Min Heejin at any time. However, to limit that power and take away her contract rights, HYBE must prove that Min Heejin committed a major violations such as embezzlement or breach of duty causing damages over 1 billion KRW. Min Heejin had the rights to exercise her 'put option' after 3 years and 10 months since ADOR was first established. In exchange, HYBE required her to transfer 20% of ADOR shares, work for five years, and banned her from joining a rival company. The put option is estimated to be worth around 100 billion KRW after 2025. While companies are free to fire directors, the court give more weight to financial rights and money as time goes on.

Regarding the use of Kakao Talk messages as evidence, the court said, "Although Min Heejin argued that they shouldn't be used, these messages were collected during an internal audit when the devices were returned voluntarily, so the evidence is allowed." The court continued, "We acknowledged that Min Heejin looked for ways to independently control ADOR. She seemed to be planning to leave ADOR because she was expecting her negotiations with HYBE to fail. However, this planning alone is not a serious violation of the contract. It appears she considered to exercise her 'put option' rights and leave the company if the negotiations failed, which would leave ADOR as an 'empty shell,' and then try to repurchase ADOR shares at low price (around 800 billion to 1.5 trillion KRW). We believe she made these plains to gain ownership of the company."

The court continued, "Min Heejin's departure from the company would be a serious matter, but we can't decide if the company would actually become an 'empty shell' based only on the evidence provided. She reportedly stated that if she wasn't compensated fairly, she would exercise her 'put option' rights and leave to create a 'male version of NewJeans.'" The court added, "Reports show that ADOR's value could reach 2 trillion KRW within 2 years. These reports compare NewJeans to BLACKPINK, noting that YG Ent.'s market value was around 1.8 trillion KRW when BLACKPINK's world tour profits were counted. Regarding the 800 billion KRW drop in HYBE's market value, the court believes this was caused by the market's fear of Min Heejin's departure and the overall conflict between her and HYBE, rather than a crime committed by Min Heejin herself."

Regarding the plagiarism controversy involving ILLIT and NewJeans, the court stated, "According to reports, ILLIT's performance right after their debut looks very similar to NewJeans. The parents of NewJeans' members also submitted a petition about this, and their claims are seen as valid opinions, not as mistakes. BELIFT Lab failed to provide enough evidence to prove that they are 'not similar,' and it is difficult to say that the controversy has completely ended."

The court stated, "Min Heejin's press conference and her official statements afterward are seen as her fair right to defend herself. Her raising concerns about copying and 'push out' seems legitimate. Considering that shareholders can have disagreements, the conflict broke out because HYBE started an audit right after she sent internal emails to raise the issues. It's clear she would lose 25.6 billion KRW if the contract were canceled, but it is difficult to view her actions as a serious breach of contract."

In November 2024, Min Heejin announced, "I am resigning as a director of ADOR." Right after that, she notified HYBE that she would use her right to exercise her 'put option' rights worth approximately 26 billion KRW and filed a lawsuit demanding payment. The total amount she is asking for in the lawsuit is approximately 28.7 billion KRW.

The 'put option' is a key part of the shareholders agreement between Min Heejin and HYBE. Under this agreement, when she uses her 'put option,' she would receive money from HYBE. The amount is calculated by taking ADOR's average profit from the last 2 years, multiplying it by 13, and then taking 75% of that based on her shares. According to ADOR's audit report released in April 2024, Min Heejin owns 573,160 shares (18% of the company). Based on this calculation, she was expected to receive around 26 billion KRW. However, in July 2024, HYBE announced that they had notified Min Heejin of the termination of the shareholder agreement due to breach of trust, thereby claiming that her 'put option' rights had been removed.

At that time, Min Heejin said, "I'm terminating my shareholder agreement with HYBE and will hold them legally responsible for breaking our agreement. I plant to take legal action one by one against HYBE and related parties for their numerous illegal acts." She continued, "I have been in a 'hell-like' fight with HYBE for over 7 months, which was triggered by their unlawful audit. Even so, I tried my best to keep our agreement and restore ADORE to its prior state. However, HYBE still doesn't admit their mistakes and show no signs of changing. I decided that trying any harder would be a waste of time, so I made this choice."

Min Heejin added, "HYBE's misconduct in 2024 will be recorded as something that has never happened before in K-pop history. We should not let one individual's bad intentions ruin the essence of the industry. It was truly awful."

In response, HYBE argued that they had already terminated the shareholder agreement in July 2024 and that Min Heejin's 'put option' rights had lapsed.

In September 2025, Min Heejin drew attention by arriving at a court in a large taxi for her hearing. She entered the courtroom smiling without answering reporters' questioins. HYBE's Chief Legal Officer, Jung Jinsoo, appeared as a witness. This was the first time both sides met face-to-face since HYBE began its audit of Min Heejin in April 2024.

Jung Jinsoo, the Chief Legal Officer, testigied as a witness and pointed out Min Heejin's suspicious actions. He mentioned that she asked to increase her 'put option' from 13 times to 30 times profit. He also said HYBE received tips that she was planning to become independent and that they found various documents she had been preparing during the audit. Additionally, he also claimed that Min Heejin had met with Japanese investors and received advice about her shareholder agreement.

In response, Min Heejin's side argued that it is not unusual for a company CEO to meet with investors. However, Jung Jinsoo claimed that Min Heejin had hidden these meetings and said, "Her intention is somewhat different." Min Heejin then spoke up herself, claiming that Jung Jinsoo had previously suggested the possibility of changing parts of the shareholder agreement, such as the non-compete clause. Jung Jinsoo immediately shot back, accusing her of 'perjury.'

'Plot twist' Min Heejin wins put option lawsuit: "No breach of contract, 25.5 billion KRW to be paid"

Friday, February 6, 2026

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SOURCE: 뉴진스 안무·MV팀까지 합류…민희진 사단, '남자 뉴진스' 신호탄 되나

As OOAK Records recently unveiled the campaign for a new boy group launch, the public is speculating that the main creative staff who previously worked closely with NewJeans might be reuniting and joining the project.

On the 5th, MV director Lee Youngeum shared photos of the individuals involved in OOAK Records' video production on her personal social media. The list included Director Shin Dongle, who previously worked on NewJeans' 'Hype Boy' and 'Cookie,' while Lee Youngeum herself directed 'NewJeans' and 'Bubble Gum.'

Choreographers Black.Q and Kim Eunjoo also hinted their participation as they added 'OOAK Records' to their social media profiles. The two created the choreography of NewJeans' hit songs like 'Attention,' 'Hype Boy,' 'Ditto,' 'OMG,' and 'Super Shy.'

As these choreographers were the key figures behind the viral 'Hype Boy' challenge, attention is now focused on the performance style of the new boy group they will be working with.

As it seems like the production staff who worked together during the NewJeans era are reuniting, there are high expectations regarding the creative direction of the first boy group from OOAK Records.

Meanwhile, Min Heejin used to work at SM Entertainment before joining HYBE in 2019 as the Chief Brand Officer (CBO). Later, she led HYBE's subsidiary label, ADOR.

However, in April 2024, tensions surfaced when HYBE launched an internal audit after alleging that Min Heejin attempted to take control of the company. Since then, she was removed from her CEO position, stepped down as an internal director, and formally ending her relationship with HYBE.

NewJeans' choreography and MV teams also join in ... Is Min Heejin creating the 'male NewJeans'?

Thursday, February 5, 2026

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SOURCE: [SW이슈]'뉴진스맘' 민희진, '아들맘' 된다…베일 벗은 '오케이 레코즈'

Former ADOR CEO and founder of OOAK Records Min Heejin has started full promotions to launch a boy group.

On the 3rd, OOAK Records opened its Instagram, Twitter, and official website. The following day, they announced, "Min Heejin's independent label 'ooak records,' which had remained hidden behind many rumors and expectations, has finally broken its silence and sent its first signal to the world."

Following the teaser video for 'OOAK Records Launch Campaign,' the main content was released today (the 5th) at 10 AM (KST). It began with the phrase, "Welcome to OOAK Record Ship," and posts were uploaded one by one. The first video showed an old record shop in France with the short phrase "shop1." A voice is heard over the phone saying, "There's a lot prepared. You will definitely like it."

The next video showed a 'wanted' poster. The hints given were any nationality, born between 2008 and 2013. By putting a boy's face on the wanted poster, it seems like she is hinting at a boy group and revealing the nationality and age requirements for audition applicants. A website address was also promoted to find information about the 'wanted' individual (the audition.)

The next video, with the theme 'Only One Always Known,' showed a vinyl records flying through a back alley in Japan. It was followed by scenes of trainees practicing dance in an old building, and then revealing OOAK Records' branch shops in different countries one after another.

This is a new project by CEO Min Heejin, who has stirred up the K-pop scene in many ways. By unveiling the first member of the new boy group through the wanted poster, she signaled a bold and unconventional approach from the start. The content that shows OOAK Records shops spread all over the world also reflects her ambition toward the global music market.

Min Heejin previously worked as Creative Director at SM Entertainment and Chief Brand Officer (CBO) at HYBE. She later became CEO of ADOR and led the successful debut of NewJeans, but things are very different now. After declaring war against HYBE, members who had once stood by her side returned to HYBE, weakening her leadership. On the 12th, a court ruling is scheduled in the lawsuit against HYBE over the settlement of put-option payments.

Furthermore, ADOR has filed a lawsuit seeking 43.1 billion KRW in daamges and penalties against Min Heejin, former NewJeans' member Danielle, and her family, alleging tampering and related misconduct. Although she held an emergency press conference on the 28th of last month to deny the tampering allegations, no clear explanations were given.

Previously, Min Heejin earned the nickname 'NewJeans mom' after creating NewJeans at ADOR. She boasted their strong family-like bond, saying, 'NewJeans is a team of 6 members,' but in the end, the group ultimately split apart. Although the phenomenon did not last long, it's undeniable that NewJeans had a significant impact in the K-pop scene. With her hint at launching her first boy group through this label, attention is now focused on what kind of members and concept she will introduce. 

BEST COMMENTS:

1. [+88][-41] Her aesthetics are definitely specialㅋㅋ

2. [+76][-43] Honestly, Min Heejin is unbeatable when it comes to stuff like this... I'm already curious and looking forward to it.

3. [+76][-49] If those kids succeed and later a staff member tries to take them and leave, will she be 'cool' about it and let them go?

4. [+72][-46] Min Heejin stans seriously have zero shameㅋㅋㅋ

5. [+49][-14] What about NewJeans?

'NewJeans mom' Min Heejin becomes a 'son's mom' ... 'OOAK Records' unveiled