In a landmark ruling, the Seoul Western District Court ruled that the former CEO of ADOR May committed workplace harassment against a former employee. The decision came following minimumagainst a fine imposed by the Seoul Regional Labor and Employment Bureau.
Judge Jeong Cheol Min of the 61st Civil Division issued the verdict on October 16, dismissing minimumand sides with the government’s original decision to impose the fine. The ruling confirmed it minimum‘s actions met the legal definition of workplace bullying under the Labor Standards Act.
The case began when a former ADOR employee, identified as Afiled a complaint in 2023 alleging verbal abuse and psychological distress caused by minimum. After investigations, the labor authorities concluded it minimumthe behavior inflicted “physical and emotional distress” and created a “hostile work environment”. A fine was subsequently issued in March 2025.
May appealed the decision, arguing that the Labor Office had misunderstood the legal basis of workplace harassment. His legal team argued that the fine was based on misinterpreted comments and launched formal legal proceedings to challenge the fine.
minimum‘s legal problems extend beyond this case. He is currently facing lawsuits from Source musicthe agency behind it THE SERAPHINSAND BELIFT LABORATORYhouse at YOU. Source music filed a ₩500 million KRW ($370,000 USD) defamation lawsuit, while BELIFT LABORATORY is pursuing a compensation claim of ₩2 billion KRW ($1.5 million USD). Both companies accuse minimum of spreading false information during a 2023 press conference, where he claimed MOVES broke his promises to debut New Jeans before and affirmed it YOU copied New Jeansconcept.
This court ruling could influence the trajectory of those ongoing legal battles, placing further pressure on the former creative executive who once helped shape the direction of some of K-pop’s biggest girl groups.
Sources: Daum
