In an interview with JoongAng Ilbo, Min publicly criticized HYBE, calling her removal from the CEO position a “public execution” and emphasizing that she must return to her role as ADOR’s CEO for the sake of NewJeans, the group she helped create.
Min first stated, “There is no clear reason for my removal as CEO.” She explained, “ADOR turned profitable in the first quarter of 2024 after NewJeans debuted in 2024, and by the end of 2024, the net profit was 26.5 billion KRW, surpassing the 16 billion KRW investment. ADOR experienced the most significant growth among all HYBE labels. Moreover, this is completely contrary to the promise of independence for Min Hee-jin’s label that HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk made to me when I joined HYBE.“
Min then argued that her removal was nothing more than a public execution for going against HYBE’s wishes, calling it “a black comedy reminiscent of the movie ‘Joint Security Area’”. She described the situation as “a farcical incident stemming from impulsive emotions triggered by personal conflicts”.
Min emphasized that her desire to return as ADOR’s CEO is solely “because of NewJeans”.
She revealed, “After I won the injunction against my removal in May, HYBE offered me a deal, saying they would pay me to leave, but I refused because money was never my goal. Despite the continued harassment faced by NewJeans, their parents and myself, we never once said we wanted to leave HYBE. All we asked was to be left alone and not interfered with.”
Min also accused HYBE of sabotaging NewJeans, stating, “I was removed while organizing a surprise fan meeting for Korean fans, and the work on the next album was halted as well. This is yet another example of HYBE’s interference in NewJeans’ activities.” As a producer, she expressed her deep concern for leading the young artists in a way that would benefit their lives, likening NewJeans to “children born from my head and heart”. She added that beyond wanting to provide them with the best, she also hoped to present “a new alternative business model as a producer”.
Min Hee-jin was dismissed from her CEO role last month by ADOR’s board, and Kim Joo-young was appointed as her successor. In response, the NewJeans members held an emergency live broadcast on Sep 11th, warning HYBE to reinstate Min by Sep 25th, stating that this was “the only way to coexist with HYBE peacefully”.
However, both HYBE and ADOR remain firm in their stance that Min Hee-jin cannot return as CEO. Instead, they offered a compromise, allowing her to return as an internal director and guaranteeing her production authority for NewJeans for the remaining five years of their contract. Min rejected this offer, calling it “wordplay”, and insisted that she must return as CEO to ensure NewJeans’ smooth operations.