Min Hee-Jin Shares Resignation Letter From HYBE Label ADOR
After a seven-month internal power struggle between K-pop creative and previous CEO Min Hee-jin and South Korean entertainment conglomerate HYBE, the former is officially announcing her resignation from the latter.
Min joined HYBE in 2019 as a brand officer before being appointed CEO of the newly created ADOR label in late 2021, where she oversaw the debut of the game-changing and chart-topping girl group NewJeans in the summer of 2022.
HYBE announced an internal audit into Min this past spring, publicly alleging that the executive and her team attempted to take full control of ADOR and called for her to step down. Min refuted the claims and said the accusation was retribution for internal complaints and whistleblowing.
After a messy couple of months filled with tense words and multiple lawsuits between the parties, which included key moments like the dismissal of previous shareholders in ADOR, Min being dismissed as CEO in August before being offered an internal director role, the members of NewJeans and their parents stating support for Min’s reinstatement as CEO, and various teams under HYBE filing complaints and lawsuits against the Min.
Following the Seoul Central District Court rejection of Min’s injunction calling for her reinstatement as CEO of ADOR in October, Min announced she would leave her position as an internal director and HYBE altogether.
The lengthy, fiery statement sees Min promising to “hold HYBE legally accountable for violating the shareholders’ agreement” and taking “necessary legal actions one by one against the numerous illegal activities of HYBE and its associates.” She also shares gratitude to “Bunnies,” the official name of NewJeans’ fandom.
She closes the letter adding that she will continue in the K-pop industry, saying, “I hope you will show great interest in the new K-pop journey I will embark on in the future.”
Read the full, English statement below provided by a representative for Min Hee-jin.
Hello. This is Min Hee-jin.
I am resigning today from my position as an internal director of ADOR. I am also terminating the share- holders’ agreement with HYBE and will hold HYBE legally accountable for violating the shareholders’ agreement. Furthermore, I plan to take necessary legal actions one by one against the numerous illegal activities of HYBE and its associates.
Even in the midst of the hellish dispute with HYBE that has lasted for over 7 months, starting with HYBE’s illegal audit in April, I have done my utmost to adhere to the shareholders’ agreement and to restore ADOR to its pre-April state. However, as HYBE still refuses to acknowledge their wrongdoings and shows no signs of change, I have decided that further efforts would be a waste of time.
I had hoped that HYBE would admit their mistakes on their own, and I have worked tirelessly to protect NewJeans within the distorted HYBE. This is also why I sent internal whistleblowing emails twice last April.
However, HYBE, far from showing remorse, has committed the unprecedented folly of fabricating base- less falsehoods and even publicly displaying a shameful illegal audit. They have framed me, a minority shareholder and CEO, with the absurd notion of ”usurping management rights,” conducting a witch hunt and launching ignorant and irrational attacks that are hard to believe coming from a large corporation.
After many twists and turns, it has taken a full 7 months for it to become clear that my whistleblowing was based on obvious facts and was a legitimate complaint, while HYBE’s ugly lies and hypocrisy are being revealed one after another.
In fact, HYBE must have known from the beginning that the content of the whistleblowing was all true and a legitimate raising of issues. However, for those who care only about their own interests and glory, addressing the core issue of ”problem-solving” was likely a task they wanted to avoid more than anything else.
I didn’t expect them to repent, but it seems I was naive to believe they would have at least a minimum conscience as human beings. However, just as merely breathing doesn’t mean you’re truly alive, I didn’t want to conform to and settle in this twisted organization out of attachment to money.
HYBE has continued its hypocritical and contradictory behavior, using its subsidiary labels to file un- reasonable lawsuits, nitpick, and engage in unfair media play to try to bury me, while simultaneously presenting a producing work delegation contract full of toxic clauses as if they were doing me a huge favor.
While claiming to want to discuss R&R, which could be considered the essence of the work delegation contract, they repeatedly made incomprehensible demands such as insisting on face-to-face meetings only, citing confidentiality agreements that included unreasonable requirements like forensic consent prior to discussions, and claiming they couldn’t provide R&R documents.
It’s no longer surprising to see the lack of conscience of those who, despite unilaterally dismissing me, spread false information to the media that I had stepped down as CEO to take on producing duties, while demanding ”confidentiality” from others.
HYBE’s atrocities in 2024 will be recorded as an unprecedented case in K-pop history.
For the past 7 months, I have fought with all my mental, economic, and physical strength to reclaim ADOR, which was damaged due to HYBE’s serious violation of the shareholders’ agreement. This means that despite it being a hellish fight initiated by the baseless violence of a group masquerading as a large corporation, I have not backed down and have made every effort.
HYBE’s moral hazard has already reached its peak, and although their dirty media play will likely continue, I’m not worried as most people have now reached the point where they can read through the pattern.
Nevertheless, I want to make it clear that if there are forces and media outlets trying to maliciously defame me, I will not stand idly by and will punish them legally. While this unprecedented incident is not over yet, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Bunnies and many others who have tirelessly sent support and encouragement for nearly half a year.
Ironically, it’s also a special blessing that I’ve come to know the best people through fighting against the worst company. Some may not understand why I’ve endured this far, but there must be a reason and meaning for people like me to exist in this world. I hope you will show great interest in the new K-pop journey I will embark on in the future.
I conclude this message with a sense of relief, addressing these words to certain individuals.
“The actions driven by one person’s malice should never be allowed to damage the ’essence of the business.’ That was... cruel of you all.”Min Hee-jin
As of press time, HYBE has not yet responded to Min’s statement.
