On January 28, Kim Sun-woong, a lawyer from Ziam Law Firm and Min Hee-jin’s legal representative, held a press conference at the Kyobo Jonggak Building in Jongno, Seoul. During the event, he firmly denied the allegations of “Min Hee-jin tampering,” saying they were a nationwide fraud organized through collusion between a family member of a NewJeans member and forces of stock price manipulation.
The sudden clarification comes amid a looming legal action. According to Min Hee-jin’s side, last month HYBE filed a lawsuit for damages worth around KRW 10 billion, accusing it of leading to the termination of NewJeans’ exclusive contracts and committing tampering. As the trial approached, the press conference appeared aimed at refuting allegations of breach of trust and creating an alibi ahead of the court proceedings.
The “Davolink Meeting” at the center of the controversy
The central issue addressed during the press conference was the nature of the so-called “Davolink meeting” which took place on September 30, 2024, involving Min Hee-jin and Park Jung-gyu, president of Davolink. Min Hee-jin’s side characterized the meeting as a case of her being the victim of organized market manipulators.
Lawyer Kim Sun-woong explained that in June 2024, the father of a NewJeans member, referred to as “member A”, introduced Park Jung-gyu through his older brother, claiming that he had extensive connections. “Min Hee-jin attended the meeting solely out of trust in the member’s family and was not aware of Park Jung-gyu’s or Davolink’s alleged history of stock manipulation,” Kim said.
Instead, the legal team redirected suspicion towards HYBE. Kim said that two days before the meeting, on September 28, HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang had already mentioned Davolink and warned Min Hee-jin not to meet with them. Based on this, the legal team raised the possibility that HYBE knew about Davolink’s approach in advance, failed to prevent it, and later framed the situation as tampering.
Contradictions with previous reports
However, these claims directly contradict previous media reports. In January 2025, TenAsia reported that Park Jung-gyu claimed that Min Hee-jin had spoken in a familiar manner with a NewJeans member’s father on speakerphone before the meeting, asking, “Father, did it go well?”
The Dispatch also reported that during the meeting, Min Hee-jin allegedly asked: “Would it be possible for me to bring NewJeans with me?” suggesting discussions that went beyond simple communication channels.
In response, Kim Sun-woong dismissed these reports as false, stating that the meeting was intended solely to establish a communication window, not to discuss investments or the removal of NewJeans from ADOR. He emphasized that Min Hee-jin’s priority at that time was to return to her position at ADOR.
A delayed explanation under scrutiny
According to Min Hee-jin, she only realized later that those involved were attempting to exploit NewJeans to inflate stock prices. When she refused to cooperate, they allegedly responded by giving interviews and spreading damaging narratives.
However, critics argue that this delayed explanation could be a double-edged sword. As the head of a label responsible for intellectual property worth trillions of won, Min Hee-jin actually admitted to meeting with unverified external figures without sufficient due diligence. While denying malicious intent, he may have inadvertently recognized behavior considered inappropriate for a senior manager.
With a KRW 10 billion lawsuit looming and NewJeans already facing instability following the termination of Danielle’s contract, the question remains whether Min Hee-jin’s explanation, which came a year late, will convince the court.
Sources: Nate News
