Former ADOR CEO Accuses HYBE of ‘Fiction’ in First Court Appearance Over Contract Dispute

Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, who has been locked successful a protracted ineligible conflict with HYBE, appeared successful idiosyncratic connected Thursday (Sept. 11) astatine the Seoul Central District Court. It was her archetypal tribunal quality since the quality began past year. On the witnesser basal was HYBE’s main ineligible officer, Jung Jin-soo.

That day, the tribunal heard 2 consolidated claims: HYBE’s petition to corroborate the termination of a shareholder agreement, and Min’s request for outgo nether a enactment enactment (a contractual close to merchantability shares back). Positions betwixt the parties remained sharply divided. The proceeding revisited long-running flashpoints — allegations that HYBE’s caller miss radical copied NewJeans, clauses described by Min arsenic “slave-like” non-compete terms, and claims of “forced medium releases” targeting NewJeans. Jung questioned Min’s extracurricular activities and imaginable breaches of contract, portion Min countered, calling the communicative “fiction” and accusing the witnesser of “multiple mendacious statements.” The courtroom confrontation stretched for astir 5 hours.

The tribunal plans to question Min again connected Nov. 27 and wrapper up arguments connected Dec. 18, with a ruling expected successful January 2026. At the bosom of the civilian quality is the validity of a enactment enactment estimated astatine astir 26 cardinal won (approximately $19 cardinal USD). The shareholder statement reportedly allows Min to merchantability up to 75% of her ADOR involvement to HYBE, based connected 13 times the company’s mean operating nett implicit the erstwhile 2 years. Applying ADOR’s 2022 nonaccomplishment of 4 cardinal won and 2023 nett of 33.5 cardinal won, the magnitude is calculated astatine astir 26 billion. HYBE argues that the shareholder statement was terminated successful July 2023, nullifying the option, portion Min maintains determination was nary termination and says she resigned lone aft exercising the enactment successful November.

Later that afternoon, a abstracted proceeding was held: the 2nd closed mediation league successful ADOR’s suit seeking confirmation of NewJeans’ exclusive declaration validity. At the archetypal league connected August 14, members Minji and Danielle attended, drafting dense media attention, but nary statement was reached. The league ended aft conscionable 20 minutes without a settlement, and the tribunal scheduled a main ruling for October 30. NewJeans members stay barred from autarkic activities nether a preliminary injunction granted to ADOR.

HYBE and Min Hee-jin’s put-option lawsuit is expected to reason arguments by the extremity of the year, with a verdict apt successful January. The NewJeans-ADOR declaration quality is besides nearing resolution, with a determination acceptable for Oct. 30. Nearly a twelvemonth of intertwined litigation among HYBE, Min Hee-jin, ADOR and NewJeans is heading toward sequential conclusions arsenic the twelvemonth draws to a adjacent — and the manufacture is watching intimately to spot wherever this saga yet lands.