[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has categorically denied allegations of so-called “NewJeans tampering,” while ADOR responded that any such claims should be resolved through legal proceedings.

According to reports by Ilgan Sports, Min’s legal representative, Kim Sun-woong of law firm Jiam, said at a press conference held in Jongno, Seoul, on the 28th that Min received a lawsuit from ADOR on December 30 last year seeking KRW 10 billion (approximately USD 75 million) in damages. ADOR alleges that Min orchestrated the termination of NewJeans’ exclusive contracts and infringed contractual rights through tampering. Min did not attend the press conference.

Min’s legal team asserted that the tampering allegations are entirely unfounded, claiming instead that the core issue involves a “stock market manipulation scheme” allegedly carried out by a family member of a NewJeans member in collusion with a specific businessman. Kim identified the alleged masterminds as the member’s uncle, referred to as A, and Park Jung-kyu, chairman of Dabolink, describing them as forces involved in capital market manipulation.

The legal team further suggested that HYBE management may have been aware of the situation in advance. Kim stated that during a meeting with HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang on September 28, 2024—prior to Min meeting Chairman Park—the names of companies such as TerraScience and Dabolink were already mentioned. Min, he added, had stated at the time that she was unfamiliar with those companies. Kim argued that there are “reasonable grounds to suspect” that HYBE may have utilized or condoned the formation of the “NewJeans tampering” narrative.

In response, ADOR told Ilgan Sports that “if there are claims, they should be addressed in court,” adding that it has no further comment at this time.

The tampering allegations surrounding Min first surfaced in April last year, when HYBE launched an internal audit into her activities. HYBE accused Min of attempting to seize management control, and she was dismissed as ADOR CEO roughly four months later.

Subsequently, NewJeans members announced the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR, citing a breakdown of trust. However, the court ruled that the contracts remained valid. As a result, members Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni returned to ADOR, while Minji is still in discussions regarding her return. Danielle, however, ultimately failed to resolve her contract dispute and departed from the group.

On December 29 last month, ADOR formally notified Danielle of contract termination and filed a lawsuit seeking approximately KRW 43.1 billion in penalties and damages against Danielle, one family member, and Min. Danielle has since appointed legal counsel to respond.

Meanwhile, HYBE shares closed at KRW 379,500 on the 28th, up 0.13% from the previous session. The stock has been buoyed by news of BTS’s full-group comeback and an upcoming world tour, prompting 11 brokerage firms to collectively raise their target prices for HYBE in recent reports.

 

 

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