'NewJeans joined hands to protect each other': Min Hee-jin breaks silence on group’s return to ADOR

Following the much-discussed news of NewJeans’ decision to return to ADOR, former CEO Min Hee-jin released a statement on November 13, addressing the group’s move and reflecting on the journey through one of K-pop’s most public corporate disputes.

“I believe the decision the members made yesterday to return together was reached after deep deliberation and discussion. I respect and support that choice,” Min Hee-jin said. “Despite the difficulties, I deeply value the courage of the members who joined hands again to protect one another.”

Hee-jin, who played a defining role in shaping NewJeans’ artistic identity, added that she would “start anew anywhere,” but emphasized her unwavering belief that “NewJeans must be kept intact as five members.” She thanked fans for their continued support and urged them to welcome the group warmly as they navigate their comeback.

The statement arrives after an intensely turbulent year marked by lawsuits, public accusations, and power struggles between Min and HYBE Corporation, ADOR’s parent company.

Min Hee-jin’s career in K-pop began in 2002 when she joined SM Entertainment as a graphic designer. Over nearly two decades, she became one of the industry’s most influential creative directors — shaping the aesthetics of Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(x), EXO, and Red Velvet. Her conceptual approach, seen in f(x)’s Pink Tape and EXO’s Exodus, helped redefine K-pop visuals as high art.

By 2019, Min had joined HYBE as its Chief Brand Officer, leading the company’s sleek corporate rebrand and overseeing the design of its Yongsan headquarters. In 2021, she became the founding CEO of ADOR (All Doors One Room), a new HYBE subsidiary. Under her leadership, ADOR debuted NewJeans in 2022 — a group celebrated for its refreshing Y2K concept, minimalist styling, and nostalgia-infused sound.

The success was meteoric. NewJeans swept rookie awards, broke streaming records, and earned Min the Seoul City Culture Award in 2023 for her contributions to Korean pop culture.

The partnership soured in April 2024 when HYBE accused Min of trying to seize full control of ADOR. She denied the allegations, calling them “impossible,” as HYBE owned 80% of the label’s shares. Instead, she countered with claims of creative plagiarism — accusing HYBE’s subsidiary BELIFT LAB of copying NewJeans’ concept for its own group, ILLIT.

What followed was one of the industry’s most heated showdowns: dueling press conferences, leaked messages, lawsuits, and divided public opinion. Supporters hailed Min as a defender of artistic integrity; critics saw her as a difficult executive unwilling to cooperate within HYBE’s multi-label structure.

By August 2024, HYBE’s board dismissed Min as ADOR CEO. Though she initially stayed on as a producer, she officially resigned that November after losing multiple legal challenges.

Hee-jin's departure didn’t end the conflict. In the months that followed, HYBE subsidiaries, including Source Music, filed lawsuits accusing her of defamation and interference. In 2024, she also faced workplace harassment allegations from a former employee — leading to a fine from the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in March 2025, which she has since appealed.

While Hee-jin was cleared of breach of trust charges in mid-2025, several civil suits remain ongoing, including her own defamation complaint against HYBE executives.

In her latest statement, Hee-jin sought to separate her personal legal battles from the group’s artistic journey.

“The litigation between HYBE and me is entirely separate and has nothing to do with NewJeans,” she wrote. “I hope the members grow stronger, that NewJeans becomes an even better group, and above all, that all five members are happy.”