Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin gained attention after sharing a highly symbolic photo online, coinciding with the announcement of NewJeans members’ return to the label.
On November 24, Min Hee-jin uploaded a single image without a caption. The photo showed the cover of The Lost Honor by Katharina Bluma novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Heinrich Böll. The subtitle of the book, “How violence develops and where it can lead” directly highlights the central theme of the work.
The novel tells the story of a 27-year-old woman, Katharina Blum, whose dignity and reputation are destroyed by media distortion and public aggression. Through the events following the killing of a tabloid journalist, the book highlights that it was not the act of murder itself that ruined her life, but rather the violence of the sensationalist reporting.
By posting the book cover, Min Hee-jin is widely interpreted as delivering a pointed message regarding “lost honor,” reflecting her own controversies and public scrutiny over the past year.
In November 2024, following Min Hee-jin’s resignation from ADOR, NewJeans held an emergency press conference announcing its intention to terminate exclusive contracts and operate independently starting November 29 at midnight. This escalated tensions between the group and the agency. ADOR responded by filing a lawsuit to confirm the validity of the contracts.
Earlier this month, Min Hee-jin said: “I respect and support their choice” expressing the hope that the five members will do so “get stronger, become an even better NewJeans and, above all, be happy.”
His latest post, however, has spurred renewed discussion about his personal reflections following the group’s turbulent dispute and reconciliation with the label.
Sources: Daum
