On September 26, 2024, HYBE issued a response to allegations made by the former CEO of Adore, Min Hee-jin, asserting that the cancellation of the NewJeans fan meeting and delays in album production were due to Min’s negligence. The company contended that many of Min’s statements in her interview with JoongAng Ilbo were inaccurate.
HYBE explained that the fan meeting was postponed due to issues with the turf at the Seoul World Cup Stadium and that Min’s repeated delays and absences had negatively impacted the progress on the album and other fan-related projects.
The company stated:
“The suspension of the fan meeting and album production is not the fault of HYBE, but rather a result of Min’s negligence and decision-making delays. The unexpected Korean fan meeting and the halt of album production were not caused by Min’s resignation as CEO or the exclusion of the Vice President from work.”
HYBE further clarified:
“ADOR was considering the Seoul World Cup Stadium as the venue for the Korean fan meeting, but the rental was denied due to issues with the turf.”
The company firmly denied ever offering Min a financial settlement to conclude her tenure, condemning such claims as baseless. They explained that the audit regarding Min’s actions was thorough and based on credible internal and external reports, which is currently under police investigation.
More from HYBE’s official statement regarding Min Hee-jin’s claims
In contradiction to Min Hee-jin’s portrayal of the audit as arbitrary and unfair, the music label asserted that it was initiated due to serious concerns, including allegations of attempts to destabilize the company from within.
On the matter of album sales in Japan, the label argued that recent reports misrepresented the figures by confusing shipment and actual sales numbers. They clarified that the “Gold”certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan was based on shipments, not sales. HYBE stated:
“There is a slight distortion of facts regarding album sales in Japan caused by conflating shipment figures with actual sales. The claim that ‘1.02 million copies were sold only in Japan’ is a substantial misrepresentation, as it relies on publicly available Oricon chart data at that time. The day after this article was published, it was revealed that the Japan Record Association certified gold status (100,000 copies), but this certification is based on shipment figures, not actual sales.”
Despite efforts to engage Min in exploring alternatives and progressing with the album, her failure to communicate in a timely manner resulted in significant setbacks for the fans.
HYBE also addressed claims regarding the agenda for the board of directors’ meeting, stating that Min Hee-jin had been clearly informed of the agenda three days in advance, contrary to her statements. The company concluded by criticizing Min’s spread of misinformation and urged her to refocus on her responsibilities to the artists and fans.
“Director Min is seriously disqualified as a manager simply by disseminating false information through interviews. I hope he returns to his primary role and dedicates himself to working for the artists and fans.”
HYBE’s statement came a day after a deadline set by NewJeans for the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin as the CEO of ADOR, a demand that HYBE firmly denied.
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