In the midst of the ongoing HYBE vs ADOR dispute, which has been unfolding for over a month, Min Hee Jin addressed the media for the second time today (May 31).
She looked much more confident and happy at her second press conference. She was smiling and wore bright clothes, showing her excitement about winning in court and keeping her job as CEO.
As soon as Min entered the press conference hall, she asked the reporter to begin right away as she is ‘awkward with things like that.’
ADOR CEO shared she’s more relieved during this press conference compared to her first one, and she called the briefing to share her side of the story and her thoughts on the situation.
She shared that this period has been the toughest of all her life and hoped it never happens to her again. She thanked her friends, acquaintances, Bunnys, and online communities for supporting and cheering for her.
She broke down into tears saying, “I don’t want to win people through emotions, and I’m not the type of person who wants to be in the spotlight.”
She revealed not washing her face for three days when the whole conflict began.
However, she appeared more at ease today, and said addressing the reporters, “As I’ve said before, there has been some good news, but there are many obstacles ahead of me. Legally, there are complicated things that I need to go over and will unravel now.”
Regarding the effect of the HYBE-ADOR battle on NewJeans’ comeback, she mentioned, “We are preparing for the concert at Tokyo Dome in June and a world tour next year and that means we need a tracklist for the album”
However, Min revealed that their schedule was affected due to the conflict “These plans were all thrown up in the air because of the ongoing month-long battle Some of the plans were covered, but some were caught in between,” and expressed her concern saying, “I was worried that we had to throw away all the opportunities.”
Now that she won the injunction, she hopes HYBE and ADOR can ‘amicably settle.’
Today, HYBE dismissed two ADOR executives and replaced them with 3 of HYBE’s internal directors, which is going to make things difficult for Min when reaching an agreement.
When asked about how things will move forward, legal representative Timothy SK Lee stated, “The prior board members fired from their positions will continue to work at the company.” The lawyer continued, that ADOR has much work ahead, and executives dismissed are very much needed as they’re ‘founders of ADOR.
The legal representative called them not just board members but ‘founders of ADOR.’
Regarding breach of trust, Min Hee Jin shared, “A company is not one’s own company that is owned by one person. It is constituted of various shareholders, and we need to become an organization that works with one unified corporate vision in mind.” I’ve dedicated myself so much to ADOR, and that helped HYBE. That’s why the court obviously thought it wasn’t a breach of trust against ADOR.”
She emphasized the importance of ‘healthily and constructively’ discussing what’s next for ADOR and HYBE.
Min Hee Jin shared that the trust was broken by HYBE first. As a subsidiary with only 18% stakes, she lacked the power to confront HYBE effectively. She struggled to find a way to escape the oppressive situation and make HYBE take her seriously. She shared being unsure how to negotiate, as HYBE denied any wrongdoing, making it difficult to even reach the negotiating table.
She described herself as a “subtle outcast” because HYBE’s bullying was indirect, leaving her feeling confused and questioning her own perceptions.
Furthermore, CEO Min revealed NewJeans’ plans to go on a nationwide tour, “We were going to go on campus concerts around the country, and it was planned long before.”
She revealed the reason why the nationwide tour was not held earlier, stating, “There are many who want to see [NewJeans] in rural areas, but the industry before wasn’t equipped to handle a nationwide tour.”
Furthermore, she confirmed that HYBE suggested bulk-selling NewJeans albums to middle retailers to boost first-week sales. However, she clarified that she cannot verify if this is a common practice among major agencies.
Min Hee Jin responded to the BBC’s question about discussions between HYBE, NewJeans, and their parents, explaining that artists are often reluctant to speak up due to concerns about being seen as seeking sympathy. She noted that young artists may be viewed as needing protection, but in her case, she was able to find support from fans (the Bunnies) and parents, who checked in on her daily.
She emphasized that her relationship with the NewJeans members and their families is unique in the entertainment industry.
They have had in-depth conversations, sometimes lasting up to two hours, discussing the members’ well-being, every decision affecting them, and even personal family matters. She revealed being close to members’ siblings.
She recalled the earlier controversy where she called HYBE’s girl group ILLIT a “NewJeans copycat.” She admitted that they were unaware of ILLIT’s concept until they saw the teaser released on March 6, which featured hanbok magazine shots that left them surprised.
When asked if any other group copies NewJeans, will she call out again, she shared that she would call out again if it happens again.