ADOR's Min Hee-jin was coached by a shaman on company issues, HYBE says

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin had been coached by a shaman to decide on major company management matters including the military services of BTS members, HYBE said on Thursday just minutes before Min was set to speak before reporters in a press conference.

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin [ADOR]

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin had been coached by a female shaman to decide on major company management matters including the military services of BTS members, HYBE said Thursday afternoon just minutes before Min was set to speak before reporters in a press conference at 3 p.m.

HYBE said it secured lengthy transcripts of conversations between Min and the shaman through a forensic analysis from the internal audit against ADOR.

The shaman is said to have coached Min via KakaoTalk. Min discussed options such as establishing a joint venture, stock options and setting up a new label with the shaman. “I will help you for exactly three years,” the shaman had said in the transcript. “You will be able to take the label [ADOR] just as if it were a merger.”

The period during which Min actively moved to take over the company management coincides with the time when the shaman was coaching her.

HYBE said that the CEO also discussed when she should sell the HYBE stocks she owned.

Min also consulted with the shaman on whether BTS members should go to the military. Min asked, “Should BTS go to the military?” The shaman replied, “They should.”

Min then remarked, “I think it would be better for me if BTS went, what do you think?” to which the shaman responded, “I’m trying to send them. It’s not like they won a gold medal.” This is believed to be hinting at using ritualistic acts to get the BTS members to enlist in the military.

Min then stated, “I think it would be advantageous for me if they [BTS] weren’t here.”

The ritualistic acts were also targeted at HYBE executives, and degrading remarks about their management styles also appeared in the text.

Min referred to HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk as “lacking fundamentals, purely copying, imitating.” The shaman responded, “Imitation is what makes cash, so learn from it.”

Min also claimed that Bang had copied her work to get to the top.

The name of ADOR, for which Min had been deliberating between “All Joy” and “ADOR,” was chosen as the latter after obtaining the shaman's approval.

Min became acquainted with the shaman sometime before 2017, HYBE said. The shaman is referred to as “Jiyoung 0814” and claimed that she is in a trance state, embodying the spirit of Min’s close relative.

The shaman’s parlor, situated in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, established a new venture known as M Partners in August 2021. The shaman is registered as the executive director.

M Partners’ CEO, known only by the surname Lee, also operates an outsourcing company known as M Consulting.

HYBE said that it acquired evidence of M Consulting’s request to clean Min’s private office.

HYBE requested Min’s confirmation of the facts on Monday. Min denied everything on Wednesday.

“Serious issues, including unmentionable criminal activities, are continuing to be uncovered, and Min’s refusal to be dismissed from her top position is seriously disrupting ADOR’s management,” a HYBE official said.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]