Min Heejin claimed she received an offer from HYBE to leave after winning her legal battle in May, but she refused as money was not her primary motivation. She, along with NewJeans, continues to resist HYBE’s interference, demanding autonomy and freedom from harassment. Despite support from NewJeans, Min Heejin’s return as CEO remains uncertain, and tensions between her and HYBE are escalating, potentially leading to legal action.
Min Heejin Rejects HYBE Offer After Legal Victory
Min Heejin, the former CEO of ADOR, claimed she received an offer to leave HYBE after winning her injunction case in May. In a September 26 interview with JoongAng Ilbo, she expressed her frustration. Min Heejin said that if her primary goal had been money, she wouldn’t have endured the prolonged and exhausting fight. If she had kept quiet and accepted HYBE’s actions, she could have received a significant amount of money. After her legal victory, a proposal came through her lawyer, offering money for her to leave. However, she declined, stating that money was not her priority.
HYBE Offer Amid Continuous Harassment
Min Heejin mentioned that she, NewJeans, and even the parents of the members have continuously faced harassment. Despite this, none of them have ever said they wanted to leave HYBE. They only asked HYBE to leave them alone and stop interfering. She criticized HYBE for making baseless claims, starting with the illegal audit on April 22. Min Heejin questioned why she continued the tough fight and why she filed for the injunction.
Min Heejin’s View on the Conflict With HYBE
According to Min Heejin, the essence of the conflict is not about the company’s development or system improvements. She described the situation as a “public execution” of a subsidiary CEO who defied the parent company. The case reminded her of the film Joint Security Area, where a seemingly serious situation was caused by simple human emotions. She said the current situation with HYBE was similar.
HYBE Offer Affects NewJeans’ Activities
Min Heejin revealed that her dismissal has significantly impacted NewJeans’ activities. She was dismissed in the middle of organizing a surprise fan meeting for their Korean fans. Additionally, the vice presidents were also removed from their roles, and the work on the next album was put on hold. She lamented that this, too, was an example of HYBE obstructing NewJeans’ operations.
Min Heejin’s Passion for NewJeans Despite HYBE Offer
Min Heejin expressed how much she has thought about leading young artists in ways that would benefit their lives. For her, NewJeans is like her own children, born from her heart and mind. Beyond wanting to give them everything good, as a producer, she aimed to offer an alternative business model. She said she didn’t want to give up on this challenge easily.
Min Heejin and HYBE’s Conflict Escalates Over Offer
The conflict between Min Heejin and HYBE began in April over concerns about corporate control. The dispute escalated when ADOR dismissed Min Heejin on August 27 and appointed Kim Joo-young as the new CEO. At the time, ADOR stated that Min Heejin would continue her role in producing NewJeans. However, Min Heejin said she received a unilateral dismissal notice from the company and refused to sign a production contract due to harmful clauses.
NewJeans Supports Min Heejin Against HYBE Offer
As Min Heejin’s position became uncertain, NewJeans supported her. They asked HYBE to reinstate Min Heejin as CEO. The group expressed their refusal to comply with HYBE and ADOR’s management and insisted they would not follow that path.
Public Criticism of HYBE Offer to Min Heejin
On September 11, ADOR’s board of directors proposed reinstating Min Heejin as an internal director for the next five years. However, they made it clear that her return as CEO was not possible. In response, Min Heejin’s team pointed out that the decision to appoint her as an internal director lies with HYBE, the major shareholder. As of now, her return remains uncertain. They also criticized the proposed contract extension for lacking sincerity, calling it nothing more than a superficial offer.
Legal Battle Looms Over HYBE Offer to Min Heejin
The news of this conflict spread to the online community, theqoo, which houses many fans of Min Heejin. The overall sentiment was that HYBE should not engage in any negotiations unless Min Heejin is reinstated as CEO. The community criticized HYBE’s attempt to extend a contract with harmful clauses. It was also noted that NewJeans is bound by a contract with ADOR and that leaving the company would require paying a 300 billion won penalty. Fans believe that Min Heejin’s only option is to return as CEO. However, given her limited shares in ADOR and her strained relationship with HYBE, a legal battle seems inevitable.
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Min Heejin said “It’s not about the money, i only care about my creative vision, i’m not good at corporate things” But when she’s offered to just be a creative and work with the girls until the end of their contract, she refuses?? Anyone with logic and sense can see she is doing this for herself, not just for the art or for the group!