On January 15, the 31st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court held the final hearing for two related lawsuits: HYBE’s lawsuit seeking confirmation of termination of the shareholder agreement and Min Hee Jin’s countersuit seeking payment related to the exercise of its put option.
During the hearing, HYBE emphasized that it had fulfilled nearly all of Min Hee Jin’s requests since ADOR was founded, claiming that it had invested approximately ₩21 billion (about $16 million) to support NewJeans and offered Min an unusually generous compensation.
HYBE alleged that Min Hee Jin deliberately planned a legal action and public opinion campaign to pressure the company to sell ADOR shares, while at the same time seeking potential investors to acquire such shares. “This was not mere imagination or casual chatter confined to KakaoTalk messages,” HYBE said, arguing that the actions were intentional and concrete.
The company added that trust between the parties has been irreparably damaged. “It is impossible to continue working with a party that has deliberately caused harm and destroyed trust,” HYBE said, urging the court to make a decision based on objective evidence rather than speculation.
Min Hee Jin’s legal team has strongly refuted these claims. They alleged that HYBE selectively edited and dramatized KakaoTalk’s private conversations to fit his narrative. According to Min, she neither possessed the necessary capital to take control of ADOR nor meet with investors to pursue such a plan.
Min Hee Jin’s representatives have framed the case as an attempt by HYBE to “discipline” or control its subsidiary label, insisting that HYBE’s allegations are based on assumptions rather than verified facts. “Please do not be influenced by the plaintiff’s account, which mocks and distorts private conversations,” his legal team told the court.
At the center of the dispute is the validity of the shareholders’ agreement and Min Hee Jin’s right to exercise his put option. Under the contract, Min could receive around ₩26 billion if he exercises the option. HYBE claims that the deal had already been terminated four months earlier, rendering the put option invalid. Min Hee Jin, however, insists that the contract was still in force and that she is legally entitled to payment.
HYBE has consistently maintained that Min Hee Jin intended to take NewJeans out of the company, while Min has repeatedly denied such intent.
The court officially closed its arguments and announced that its ruling will be issued on February 12. As one of the most closely watched corporate and entertainment lawsuits in Korea, the verdict is expected to have far-reaching implications for label governance, artist management and power dynamics within the K-pop industry.
Sources: Daum
