The ousted founder of HYBE-owned label Ador - Min Hee-Jin - has said she will give up her claim to the 25.6 billion won (about $17.9 million) settlement that her former employer was recently ordered to hand over. But only if the K-pop powerhouse scraps its remaining legal claims relating to Ador and NewJeans and leave everyone in peace to get on with their lives.
That includes the lawsuit HYBE filed late last year against both Min and NewJeans member Danielle, who was sacked from the girl group shortly before that legal action was filed. Min says she wants all five members of NewJeans to reunite, even if she can’t have any future involvement with the group.
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul yesterday, she urged HYBE to “create an environment where all five members can reunite and freely pursue their dreams”. Because, she added, she “cannot watch” some members of NewJeans “standing on stage” while others “stand in court”. That, she said, was “painful”, for both the five members of NewJeans and the group’s very loyal fanbase.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Min then said, “in return for giving up the 25.6 billion won, I propose that all civil and criminal lawsuits between us be concluded”. Because, “helping artists shine again is what adults should do”, and - for Min - “25.6 billion won is not greater than restoring a healthy K-pop ecosystem and the peace of artists’ daily lives”.
HYBE is currently appealing the court ruling from earlier this month that said it had to buy back Min’s Ador shares for $17.9 million because of the terms of a previous shareholder agreement.
Its lawyers may well believe they will succeed on appeal, and in the other litigation against Min and Danielle, though Min’s proposal would end a high profile feud that has negatively impacted HYBE’s corporate reputation. And another messy court battle will cause more reputation harm, especially with Min now portraying herself as the adult in the room, battling the petty toddlers on HYBE’s board.
The big falling out between HYBE and Min, which led to Min being pushed out of the CEO role at Ador in August 2024, resulted in multiple legal disputes. NewJeans were quickly pulled into the litigation after they announced they were quitting Ador, basically in solidarity with Min. HYBE argued that the group couldn’t unilaterally quit the label and then successfully enforced its contracts with the group’s members in court.
One of the other legal disputes related to Min’s shareholders agreement with HYBE. It terminated that agreement after accusing Min of being in breach of contract over allegations she had tried to seize control of the Ador business. But the courts ruled HYBE was wrong to terminate the agreement, which meant a clause obligating it to buy Min’s Ador shares at a pre-agreed price was still in force.
The separate lawsuit involving both Min and Danielle also relates to allegations that Min sought to set up a new label outside of HYBE that would continue to work with NewJeans. Danielle is caught up in that legal battle because her uncle allegedly set up meetings between Min and possible investors in the proposed new label, in particular Korean business man Park Jung-kyu and his company Davolink.
Min, who is busy launching a new K-pop company called Ooak Records, called a press conference yesterday which is where - in the best high drama traditions of the never ending K-pop soap opera - she publicly offered HYBE her $17.9 million truce.
She said that she and HYBE both “belong on the creative stage, not in court. Launching NewJeans was born from a creative vision I still hold dear. Although I regret not being able to complete it, I hope HYBE will keep its promise to welcome the group when it is back”.
Min herself, she added, “will devote all my energy to nurturing new K-pop artists and presenting creative visions. From now on, I hope there will be no more wasteful press conferences. I will meet you again not in a press conference or a courtroom, but on the stage of creation, doing what I do best”.
Which sounds like a very sensible approach. Although some of us enjoy all the press conference and court room dramas just as much as the on-stage creations. Maybe even slightly more so.