Seoul’s Yongsan Police Station has former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin (MHJ) on all charges of occupational breach of trust. After over a year of investigation, officials found no credible evidence of wrongdoing on her part.
It’s important to note that the police didn’t say Min Hee Jin was completely innocent, just that there weren’t enough for criminal charges. That’s a crucial distinction and HYBE has released a statement saying they plan to appeal the decision.
The police decision doesn’t automatically resolve the legal war between HYBE and Min Hee Jin, or the contract battle with NewJeans. But it does tip the scales and not in HYBE’s favor.
Did HYBE Overplay Its Hand
When HYBE first accused Min Hee Jin of trying to seize control of ADOR in April 2024, the company didn’t hold back. It filed a criminal complaint, leaked messages from MHJ’s KakaoTalk to the media, and called an emergency shareholder meeting. The goal was to frame MHJ as someone trying to steal ADOR and their artist NewJeans out from under them.
The problem is that approach gave MHJ and her team plenty of time to build a counter-narrative. Legal experts warned early on that HYBE should have stuck with a private investigation to preserve as much evidence as possible. Thanks to their public showdown, MHJ was able to paint her as an underdog being bullied by a mostly, male-led corporation. She was able to tap into Koreans’ frustrations with gender inequality and a toxic work culture. HYBE wasn’t able to counter the narrative she was spinning.
This ruling won’t erase HYBE’s claims in civil court, but it weakens their main argument. It remains to be seen how this will affect the other legal cases both HYBE and Min Hee Jin have filed against each other. HYBE can’t afford to lose more ground.
How This Affects NewJeans
For NewJeans, the real issue is about their ability to trust HYBE. The group tried to terminate their contracts with ADOR in November 2024. Before that, they requested that MHJ be reinstated as ADOR’s CEO and their creative director.
Since the start of their careers, NewJeans has maintained an inappropriately close relationship with MHJ, with the latter referring to herself as the girls’ surrogate mother. Being cleared by police only strengthens the idea that she’s some innocent creative director who was falsely accused and thrown under the bus by her employer.
Meanwhile, HYBE comes off as the aggressor. They aired everything in public, launched a full-scale legal and media offensive. So far, all they have to show for it is a damaged reputation, a fractured fandom and a girl group that’s likely more alienated than ever.
In trying to protect ADOR and its IP, HYBE may have permanently damaged its relationship with NewJeans and its reputation as a company that nurtures talent.
So Where Does This Leave Everyone?
Min Hee Jin may be cleared, but the battle is still raging. Multiple lawsuits and criminal charges have been filed between MHJ, HYBE and its affiliate labels like SOURCE MUSIC and BELIFT LAB. But the company’s real challenge is savaging their relationship with one of their biggest girl groups.
Throughout this saga, ADOR and HYBE have been confident in their ability to reconcile with NewJeans. How do you convince the group to come back when you tried to remove the woman they trust the most? It’s a question that can only be answered once HYBE changes their entire strategy. Because right now, their biggest enemy isn’t Min Hee Jin. It’s their own reflection.
