HYBE CEO Discusses Future of NewJeans Amid Internal Tensions

On November 5, 2024, Lee Jae-sang, CEO of HYBE, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting the emerging girl group NewJeans. During a conference call held to discuss the third quarter (Q3) 2024 financial results, he highlighted the group’s recent milestones and touched upon the ongoing legal disputes with former ADOR CEO, Min Hee-jin.

The full transcript from the call and the Q3 2024 Earnings Report were made available on HYBE’s official website. According to a report from Yonhap News, Lee pointed out NewJeans’ historic performance at the Tokyo Dome, stating:

“HYBE will continue to do its best to support NewJeans’ ongoing growth. They entered the Tokyo Dome in record time as a non-J-pop artist with ‘Bernie’s Camp Tokyo Dome,’ and they’ve achieved five consecutive million-selling albums, including ‘How Sweet’ released this year and their Japanese debut album, ‘Supernatural,’ in June.”

Lee emphasized NewJeans’ impressive popularity despite a quieter schedule, noting:

“Even without major activities such as album releases or performances, their consistent presence on music charts and in advertisements during the third quarter has been remarkable.”

In April 2024, tensions rose when HYBE took legal action against Min Hee-jin for alleged privacy violations and attempts to seize control of ADOR and NewJeans. As the majority shareholder of ADOR, controlling 80% of the company, HYBE requested her resignation. Since this incident, both parties have been embroiled in a public dispute.

In a significant leadership shift, Min Hee-jin was dismissed from her role at ADOR in August 2024, leading to the appointment of Kim Joo-young as the new CEO. This decision led to protests from the group, who voiced their desire for Min’s reinstatement, a request that ADOR ultimately denied.

NewJeans Highlights Collaboration Potential Amid Controversy

On the same day, Gigi Hadid hosted a pop-up event for her luxury knitwear line, Guest in Residence, in Seoul. The exclusive dinner guest list included not only NewJeans but also notable figures such as CL from 2NE1, Younghoon from THE BOYZ, Jay Park, and Squid Game’s Jung Yeon. Social media buzzed as CL shared moments with NewJeans on her Instagram.

Adding to the excitement, @Jorge_Most_, a prominent Fortnite leaker, hinted at a possible collaboration involving NewJeans and the game in January 2025. However, both ADOR and Epic Games have yet to confirm any official partnership.

Earlier, in October 2023, NewJeans collaborated with Riot Games on the anthem ‘GODS‘ for the League of Legends World Championship. They performed this track live on November 19, 2023, during the finals, showcasing their growing influence in the music world.

In a noteworthy development, Min Hee-jin was reinstated as ADOR’s in-house director on October 17, 2024. However, her court motion to regain the CEO position was denied on October 29, 2024, further extending the internal conflicts within the organization.

For more details, you can refer to the full story on Sportskeeda.