ADOR rejects NewJeans’ call for Min Hee-jin’s return as CEO

Management agency instead proposes to guarantee Min’s term as internal director, producer

뉴진스. /뉴시스

Girl group NewJeans’ management agency ADOR has declined the group’s request for the reinstatement of former CEO Min Hee-jin.

ADOR announced on Sept. 25, “The board has resolved to hold a temporary shareholders’ meeting to reappoint Min Hee-jin as an internal director, but we cannot accept her return to the CEO position.” This statement came 14 days after members Minji, Hani, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein publicly demanded Min’s return in a YouTube video. The members on Sept. 11 urged ADOR and its parent company, HYBE, to reinstate Min as “the head of management and group production by Sept. 25.” They also met with new ADOR CEO Kim Ju-young on Sept. 23 to reiterate their request, but it was not accepted.

Ador also revealed that they proposed Min take on the role of producer for the remaining five years of NewJeans’ contract. This was offered as a compromise, ensuring her position as an internal director and producer instead of returning as CEO.

The former ADOR CEO immediately rejected the proposal, calling it “nothing but wordplay.” In a statement, she expressed doubt about her reappointment as an internal director and warned that simply extending her production role under a “flawed contract” would “not guarantee normal artistic activities for NewJeans.” She reaffirmed her demand to return as CEO to ensure the group’s proper artistic achievements.

NewJeans may file for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contract with Ador, as the “by Sept. 25” deadline mentioned in their video aligns with the 14-day grace period in standard K-pop contracts, which allows time to address violations before termination.

The members’ public criticism of HYBE and ADOR may provide legal grounds for action. In the video, they described the companies as “inhumane,” claiming they had been “ostracized within HYBE,” learned of Min Hee-jin’s dismissal through media reports, and that HYBE “failed to prevent the leak of their personal medical records.” They also asserted that “ADOR deleted collaborative videos featuring Min and external companies,” emphasizing their feelings of insecurity due to stagnation in the team’s identity and work caused by management changes and unfair treatment.