Min Hee-jin, CEO of Ooak Records, enters a press conference in Seoul’s Jongno District, Wednesday, calling for an end to ongoing legal disputes with Ador’s parent company, HYBE Labels, and proposing to forgo a court-awarded 25.5 billion won payout if all related civil and criminal litigation is halted. Yonhap
Min Hee-jin, the creative force behind K-pop girl group NewJeans and current head of Ooak Records, called Wednesday for an end to the ongoing legal battle between herself and HYBE Labels, proposing that she forgo a 25.5 billion won ($18 million) payment if all civil and criminal litigation is dropped.
Speaking at a press conference in central Seoul, Min opened by reflecting on her Feb. 13 victory in a put-option lawsuit over a shareholder agreement dispute with HYBE.
“I express my respect and gratitude to the court for carefully examining the essence of this case over a long period of time and confirming it through its ruling,” she said. “It was truly a long tunnel.”
She said the court had determined that what she described as “sensational frames” surrounding the dispute were unfounded and recognized that her concerns about creative ethics were matters of managerial judgment.
Under the ruling, Min is entitled to approximately 25.5 billion won. However, she said she intends to exchange the monetary award “for another value.”
The sum, she described, was “an amount one may never encounter in a lifetime.” “But there is a value I desire more than a large sum of money,” Min said.
She proposed that instead of receiving the payout, HYBE and its subsidiary, Ador, halt all ongoing civil and criminal proceedings against every party caught in the dispute, including NewJeans members, former Ador employees, external partner companies and even members of the group’s fandom, known as Bunnies.
“I propose that instead of receiving the 25.5 billion won, all ongoing civil and criminal litigation be stopped and that this dispute come to an end,” she said. “This must end so that no more noise is created.”
The offer comes one day after a Seoul court granted HYBE’s request to suspend enforcement of the judgment, temporarily blocking Min from collecting the award, pending appeal.
Min Hee-jin speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday, after her first-instance court victory in a put-option dispute on Feb. 13, urging an end to all ongoing litigation tied to her conflict with HYBE Labels. Yonhap
The broader conflict between Min and HYBE has expanded into multiple legal arenas over the past two years.
Among the major cases still in progress are appeals tied to the put-option ruling and a criminal complaint filed by HYBE alleging breach of trust, which the company has described as Min’s attempt to seize control of Ador. Additional civil and criminal complaints have also been exchanged between former executives of Ador and affiliated parties throughout the dispute.
Separate legal tensions have also extended to NewJeans. Ador reaffirmed its contracts with Haerin, Hyein and Hanni and is negotiating with Minji while pursuing a separate damages lawsuit against Danielle at the Seoul Central District Court over alleged breaches of her exclusive contract.
Min mentioned the five NewJeans members during her remarks.
“I can no longer stand by and watch as some members of NewJeans are in court while others are on stage, when they should all be happy on stage,” she said. “No one can view this situation happily … You cannot create music with a heart that has been torn to pieces.”
She added that she wanted the members to know “there are adults who stand with them.”
Min urged both HYBE and Ador to prioritize artists over litigation, appealing directly to HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk to focus on “opening a path for artists.”
“The place where I and HYBE should be is not in court but on the creative stage,” she said. “To create a path for artists to shine again is the role adults should play. Let us return to the essence.”
Min said she will move forward as head of Ooak Records, focusing on nurturing a new generation of artists and building a business that charts a different course for the K-pop industry.
“I will greet you on the creative stage,” she said. “I will meet you through what I do best — creative work.”