Min Hee-jin Leaving ADOR Board, HYBE

▲ ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin is seen in this photo provided by the company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, announced on Wednesday that she is stepping down from her position as an internal director and will be leaving both ADOR and HYBE.

In a statement released the same day, Min said, "Today, I am resigning as an internal director of ADOR. I am also terminating the shareholder agreement with HYBE and plan to hold the company legally accountable for breaches of the agreement."

She added, "Additionally, I will take the necessary legal actions against numerous illegal activities committed by HYBE and its related parties."

Min elaborated on her decision, stating, "Since April, I have been embroiled in a hellish dispute with HYBE following their unlawful audit, which has lasted for over seven months. Throughout this ordeal, I have adhered to the shareholder agreement and done everything in my power to restore ADOR to its original state before April. However, HYBE has neither acknowledged its wrongdoing nor shown any sign of change, leading me to conclude that any further efforts would be a waste of time."

She further stated, "Just because something is barely breathing doesn’t mean it’s truly alive. I refuse to compromise or settle within this twisted organization for financial reasons."

Min expressed her intent to continue in the industry, saying, "I hope you will take interest in the new K-pop journey I will embark on in the future."

This announcement comes amid recent tensions between HYBE and NewJeans. On November 13, the girl group reportedly sent a formal notice to ADOR demanding an apology for a HYBE-affiliated label manager's "dismissive" remarks and Min's reinstatement. The notice stipulated that if their demands were not met within 14 days, they would terminate their exclusive contract.

Earlier this month, Min had also notified HYBE of her intent to exercise a put option as per the shareholder agreement.

With Min’s official departure from ADOR and HYBE, the music industry is closely watching whether NewJeans will file for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contract with ADOR by the end of the month.

A former SM Entertainment executive, Min joined HYBE’s predecessor, Big Hit Entertainment, in 2019 as Chief Brand Officer (CBO). She played a key role in designing HYBE's Yongsan headquarters and oversaw the production of NewJeans.

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved