Amid the ongoing contract dispute between ADOR and NewJeans over the girl group’s exclusive contract, former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin is now facing her own legal battle with HYBE. On September 11, a second court hearing took place, where Min Hee Jin appeared as a witness to present her side in the so-called “put option” case against the parent label. During the proceedings, a report by Chosun Ilbo highlighted claims that she had allegedly planned to manipulate music charts, or sajaegi, targeting groups within the company even before the debut of ILLIT.
HYBE has accused Min Hee Jin of a serious breach of trust. Their Chief Legal Officer, Jung Jin Soo, stated that Min Hee Jin and former Vice President Lee Sang Woo intended to stir public opinion and manipulate charts against HYBE’s girl groups LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT from the very beginning. Documents referred to as ‘Project 1945’, discovered during HYBE’s audit of ADOR, are cited as evidence. The dates February 19 and March 25, 2024, corresponding to LE SSERAFIM’s comeback and debut, were specifically mentioned in the investigation.
HYBE claims that on March 2, 2024, plans were drafted to involve the two groups in potential sajaegi controversies. Allegedly, these plans included actions like creating “employee controversies,” monitoring social media communities, and accusing NewJeans of copying concepts from LE SSERAFIM. Additional meetings, such as one on March 29, 2024, with the parents of the girl group members, are cited as further proof that Min Hee Jin sought to use public opinion to influence the situation. The allegations have added a new layer of tension to the already complex dispute between ADOR and HYBE.