K-pop sensation New Jeans has claimed that K-pop giant HYBE orchestrated Min Heejin’s exit. For the unversed, Min Heein is the former CEO of ADOR (one of HYBE’s subsidiary companies) and the founder of the girl group.
During the legal battle concerning the validity of NJZ’s (previously called NewJeans) exclusive contract, the group’s members—Haerin, Minji, Hyein, Danielle, and Hanni—contended that ADOR had failed to fulfill its contractual obligations due to a sweeping overhaul of its management. In a surprising disclosure, they revealed that Min Hee Jin, the former CEO of ADOR, had been ousted from her leadership role.
NJZ argued that ADOR’s new administration, now under HYBE’s control, operated under a completely different set of principles and business ethics, turning it into what they described as an entirely distinct entity.
The group elaborated, stating, “If an organization undergoes a full leadership replacement, then its past and present versions are essentially different entities, even if they maintain the same name.” They further emphasized, “With Min Hee Jin being forced out, the incoming leadership’s drastically different approach has reshaped ADOR into a fundamentally different company.”
The group’s legal representatives asserted that these fundamental changes justified their contract’s termination. They explained, “Each reason presented independently may serve as grounds for termination, but even if considered insufficient separately, the cumulative effect has led to an irreparable loss of trust between our clients and ADOR.”
NJZ also highlighted that the restructuring following Min Hee Jin’s removal created an environment in which maintaining their professional relationship with ADOR or reconnecting with HYBE was no longer viable. They urged the court to evaluate whether ADOR, in its current state, remained the same organization they had initially signed with. “We request that the court thoroughly investigate whether the present-day ADOR is truly the same agency we originally partnered with,” the group stated.
ADOR Reacts
In response to these claims, ADOR firmly dismissed NJZ’s allegations, arguing that their reasoning was completely unfounded and lacked logical consistency.
ADOR contended that, although Min Hee Jin played a significant role in shaping the group, her involvement was not indispensable for their continued success. As reported by Koreaboo, the company’s legal representatives argued, “The defendant claims that NJZ cannot function without Min Hee Jin and that they must remain together. While it is true that she was instrumental in the group’s formation, the notion that they cannot operate without her is baseless.”
They further stressed that ADOR possesses the expertise and infrastructure necessary to oversee NJZ’s career effectively. As a subsidiary of HYBE, the company benefits from a vast network of top-tier producers, executives, and marketing professionals. Highlighting this, ADOR stated, “As part of HYBE, Korea’s leading entertainment powerhouse, it is absurd to suggest that we cannot find another capable producer. The fact that NJZ successfully prepared for their Hong Kong performance without Min Hee Jin’s involvement directly contradicts the claim that they are entirely dependent on her.”
The dispute between NJZ and ADOR first emerged in November 2024, when the group announced the termination of their exclusive contract with HYBE and temporarily paused all performances to focus on the legal proceedings.
As for Min Hee Jin’s departure, she was initially asked to step down from her role as ADOR’s CEO. However, her attempts to contest this decision proved unsuccessful, ultimately leading her to resign from all positions within both ADOR and HYBE in November 2024.
During the legal battle concerning the validity of NJZ’s (previously called NewJeans) exclusive contract, the group’s members—Haerin, Minji, Hyein, Danielle, and Hanni—contended that ADOR had failed to fulfill its contractual obligations due to a sweeping overhaul of its management. In a surprising disclosure, they revealed that Min Hee Jin, the former CEO of ADOR, had been ousted from her leadership role.
NJZ argued that ADOR’s new administration, now under HYBE’s control, operated under a completely different set of principles and business ethics, turning it into what they described as an entirely distinct entity.
The group elaborated, stating, “If an organization undergoes a full leadership replacement, then its past and present versions are essentially different entities, even if they maintain the same name.” They further emphasized, “With Min Hee Jin being forced out, the incoming leadership’s drastically different approach has reshaped ADOR into a fundamentally different company.”
The group’s legal representatives asserted that these fundamental changes justified their contract’s termination. They explained, “Each reason presented independently may serve as grounds for termination, but even if considered insufficient separately, the cumulative effect has led to an irreparable loss of trust between our clients and ADOR.”
NJZ also highlighted that the restructuring following Min Hee Jin’s removal created an environment in which maintaining their professional relationship with ADOR or reconnecting with HYBE was no longer viable. They urged the court to evaluate whether ADOR, in its current state, remained the same organization they had initially signed with. “We request that the court thoroughly investigate whether the present-day ADOR is truly the same agency we originally partnered with,” the group stated.
ADOR Reacts
In response to these claims, ADOR firmly dismissed NJZ’s allegations, arguing that their reasoning was completely unfounded and lacked logical consistency.
ADOR contended that, although Min Hee Jin played a significant role in shaping the group, her involvement was not indispensable for their continued success. As reported by Koreaboo, the company’s legal representatives argued, “The defendant claims that NJZ cannot function without Min Hee Jin and that they must remain together. While it is true that she was instrumental in the group’s formation, the notion that they cannot operate without her is baseless.”
They further stressed that ADOR possesses the expertise and infrastructure necessary to oversee NJZ’s career effectively. As a subsidiary of HYBE, the company benefits from a vast network of top-tier producers, executives, and marketing professionals. Highlighting this, ADOR stated, “As part of HYBE, Korea’s leading entertainment powerhouse, it is absurd to suggest that we cannot find another capable producer. The fact that NJZ successfully prepared for their Hong Kong performance without Min Hee Jin’s involvement directly contradicts the claim that they are entirely dependent on her.”
The dispute between NJZ and ADOR first emerged in November 2024, when the group announced the termination of their exclusive contract with HYBE and temporarily paused all performances to focus on the legal proceedings.
As for Min Hee Jin’s departure, she was initially asked to step down from her role as ADOR’s CEO. However, her attempts to contest this decision proved unsuccessful, ultimately leading her to resign from all positions within both ADOR and HYBE in November 2024.
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