Min Hee-jin, CEO of ooak Records, proposed to HYBE that all related lawsuits be terminated in exchange for receiving 25.6 billion won as the put option payment.
On the afternoon of the 25th, a press conference for Min Hee-jin, CEO of ooak Records (former ADOR CEO), was held at a location in Jongno-gu, Seoul. CEO Min held this press conference to personally discuss the first-instance lawsuit result and future plans.
On that day, CEO Min appeared later than the scheduled time and the press conference time was delayed. As soon as she entered the press room, she began reading a prepared statement. She recalled, "First, I offer deep respect and gratitude to the court for examining the essence of the case over the long period and confirming it clearly through the judgment. From the provisional disposition victory in 2024, the police non-prosecution in 2025, to the first-instance victory in 2026, it was truly a long tunnel."
Min Hee-jin said, "The court revealed that the sensational frames of management takeover or tampering were illusions, and it acknowledged that the concerns I raised about creative ethics were the proper management judgments to be made as the head of a company. The result of this lawsuit was like consolation that washed away the wounds of the past two years for me. I feel a sense of liability for the fatigue I unintentionally caused the public during that process."
She continued, "The most urgent reason among all the reasons I made this decision is the members of NewJeans. I have decided to exchange the 25.6 billion won I would gain as the price of victory for other values, and I am here to announce that decision today." She added, "25.6 billion won is an amount most people would rarely encounter even in a lifetime. It is also a very precious fund to me, who has just announced a new start. But there are values I desire far more than this huge sum, so I held this press conference to make a meaningful proposal to HYBE."
CEO Min proposed to HYBE that all lawsuits be terminated, saying, "The most urgent reason for my decision is the NewJeans members. I propose that instead of me taking 25.6 billion won, all ongoing civil and criminal lawsuits be stopped and all disputes be concluded. This proposal includes not only me personally but also the NewJeans members and external partner companies, former ADOR employees, and the termination of all accusations and complaints toward the fandoms that were hurt by being embroiled in all these fights."
The lawsuits Min Hee-jin proposed to terminate include HYBE's shareholder agreement termination confirmation suit against CEO Min, which recently had a first-instance result, the claim for stock sale payment related to the put option exercise filed by former CEO Min against HYBE, the legal dispute between ADOR and Dolphiners Film, and the damages lawsuit ADOR filed against Danielle and Min Hee-jin and one member of Danielle's family.
Min Hee-jin said, "Only when all these legal disputes are concluded will further indiscriminate noise cease for artists as well as their families and fandoms. I cannot bear to see the reality in which five members who should happily be on stage have someone on stage while someone else must stand in court." She added, "Members on stage will suffer, and not only the fans watching but no one will view this situation happily. And with hearts torn apart like this, we can never create a good culture. As I have said many times, there are values more important to me than money. Now that my sincerity has been confirmed, I want to show the world that there are values more precious than money."
She said, "I want to let the current NewJeans members know that their hearts, which must be very strained now, have adults who are always with them, and I want to send my support." She added, "I hope my decision to exchange the large sum of 25.6 billion won for other values will be sublimated into the overall development and harmony of the K-pop industry. The place for me and HYBE should be the stage of creation, not the courtroom. I had a creative vision when launching NewJeans. It is regrettable that I could not finish it all, but because of that I urge that the current ADOR's promise in court that they would treat NewJeans well when they return be made real."
CEO Min requested, "Please create an environment where all five NewJeans members can gather and freely pursue their dreams. Opening the path for artists to shine again is the only role adults should play. The 25.6 billion won I have is not greater than restoring a healthy K-pop ecosystem and the artists' peaceful daily lives. From now on, I hope we each do our best in our respective places so we can present better stages to the fans. I propose that we adults return to our original roles of competing in music and on stage, not in court. The longer this dispute drags on, the more the artists, who are the protagonists of this industry, are harmed."
After mentioning HYBE and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, CEO Min emphasized, "Let's meet on the creative stage. In July 2025, the Commercial Act was amended to add a stronger duty of loyalty among shareholders. At a time when corporate responsibility is becoming more serious, choosing harmony and minimizing risks in the entertainment industry will be the wisest management decision toward shareholders and fans."
Finally, CEO Min said, "Now I will remove the label of former ADOR CEO and walk a new path as CEO of ooak Records. Going forward, I will devote all my energy to nurturing new artists who will represent the K-pop industry and to business directions with new perspectives. I hope there will be no more wasteful press conferences after today." She added, "From now on I will meet you in creative arenas, not in press rooms or courtrooms. I will devote myself to the creative work I do best. I hope my sincerity today becomes a turning point that allows the K-pop ecosystem to breathe healthily. Today the KOSPI surpassed 6,000. I hope HYBE will consider my proposal for mutual coexistence in a progressive way."
[Photo] Reporter Lee Dae-seon
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