Min Hee-jin Prevails Over HYBE in Dispute Regarding Allegations of Betrayal and Breach of Duty by Former ADOR CEO

On Friday, October 11, the Seoul Central District Court’s 50th Civil Division addressed HYBE’s allegations against Min Hee-jin, which centered around claims of betrayal and breach of duty. According to the Korean media outlet IS Plus, the court ruled in favor of Min Hee-jin, while also noting that both parties have been reiterating the same arguments since their initial injunction on May 30, 2024.

The court characterized the duplication of arguments as repetitive and commented:

“It’s disappointing that both sides are simply rehashing the same arguments that were discussed in the May 30 injunction. It’s unclear what the meaning of this continued reinterpretation is.”

The hearing consisted of both parties presenting 20 minutes of discourse regarding the legitimacy of HYBE’s termination of their shareholder agreement with Min Hee-jin. HYBE claimed the termination was justified due to a breach of trust and duty by the former ADOR CEO, who countered that the termination was unlawful and contravened the shareholder agreement.

Key Insights from the Court Hearing on HYBE and Min Hee-jin’s Mutual Allegations of Breach of Duty and Betrayal

IS Plus reported that Min Hee-jin initiated her defense by arguing that HYBE’s termination of the shareholders’ contract, citing acts of betrayal, was not only unjust but also baseless.

“HYBE alleges that Min Hee-jin’s actions compromised their trust. However, she has consistently performed her duties in line with the shareholder agreement, raising valid concerns regarding unfair treatment and claims of plagiarism, which cannot be considered illegal.”

Min’s defense further scrutinized the reasons behind the label’s decision to end the contract. She contended that if trust hinged on the performance of NewJeans, her leadership did not hinder the group’s success at any point.

Consequently, she emphasized that the termination lacked justification due to the ambiguous nature of the claims. Her legal team also highlighted purported coordinated attacks on Min Hee-jin. Conversely, HYBE maintained their stance, asserting the contract was terminated due to a breach of trust, a sentiment the court reportedly validated.

“The court previously recognized that the trust relationship had been undermined due to Min’s actions. Therefore, we had no choice but to terminate the shareholder agreement and have initiated legal action to affirm the termination of her authority.”

In addition, Min Hee-jin called for her reinstatement as ADOR’s CEO, echoing the requests made by NewJeans during their urgent YouTube livestream. However, ADOR responded that this request could not be accommodated. While HYBE maintained that she continues to serve as an internal director for ADOR and NewJeans, her legal representatives contended that this was not stipulated in the original agreement.

“Although ADOR asserts they proposed a five-year extension for overseeing NewJeans’ production, there was no sincere attempt to eliminate the detrimental clauses from the original contract. Their supposed compromise is merely a play on words.”

Ultimately, the court has resolved the matter, ruling in favor of the former ADOR CEO.

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