Min Hee Jin exposed Bang Si Hyuk's text messages and denied she was involved in GFriend's contract termination.
During her press conference concerning her conflict with HYBE on April 25, ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin revealed conversations she had with HYBE founder Bang Si Hyuk. According to Min Hee Jin, Bang Si Hyuk invited her to HYBE to create the label's first girl group and proposed a collaboration, and he then asked that she "crush" SM Entertainment girl group aespa in 2021.
In the messages below, Bang Si Hyuk asks, "You can crush aespa, right?" Min Hee Jin then responds, "Hahaha," and he states, "Hahaha. I look forward to your kind cooperation. When should we have a drink?"
He then asks Min Hee Jin to leave her work with SM Entertainment behind and create her own world. Bang Si Hyuk states, "Forget aespa, and let's create Min Hee Jin World," and Min Hee Jin responds, "I just..." Bang Si Hyuk then tells her not to worry, and Min Hee Jin states, "Kekeke. I'm not worried. I just wonder if [redacted] have to say things like this [redacted]."
Min Hee Jin then released another conversation that she alleged was "sarcastic." After HYBE's debut of LE SSERAFIM caused a delay in NewJeans debut under HYBE subsidiary Source Music despite Bang Si Hyuk's alleged promise to Min Hee Jin to debut HYBE's first girl group, Min Hee Jin requested NewJeans debut under her newly established label ADOR instead.
As K-pop lovers know, NewJeans' debut was incredibly popular as they landed on the Billboard Hot 100 with just their second single "OMG". Meanwhile, LE SSERAFIM ranked in the Billboard Hot 100 with their "Easy" comeback in 2024. After the success of "OMG", Bang Si Hyuk sent her the message, "Congratulations. Are you enjoying this?"
Min Hee Jin responded by laughing, and Bang Si Hyuk replied, "Why are you laughing? Keke. I'm really curious." Min Hee Jin then asked, "What? What are you curious about," and he responded, "If you're enjoying this." According to Min Hee Jin and many Korean netizens, Bang Si Hyuk's messages seem sarcastic and unprofessional.
In another turn of events, many are stating Min Hee Jin was the cause of GFriend's unexpected disbandment and contract cancellation with Source Music. Leader Sowon previously stated the group had no idea they were disbanding, and many netizens are speculating Min Hee Jin and ADOR may have had a hand in GFriend's disbandment.
However, Min Hee Jin denied the accusations, stating the auditions for a new girl group under Source Music went poorly even with GFriend's reputation. She stated, "I don't know why everyone is blaming me for the disbandment. I have nothing to do with it. I was only concerned with my own job."
Min Hee Jin further stated, "Out of all the trainees under Source Music, there weren't many candidates to choose from. There was only Minji. I'm sorry to say this, but I couldn't choose another trainee because they were either too old or needed to work on their skills. I thought Minji had potential because she was so pretty back then, more than now, and she would be great with practice. I had to do casting all over again. I'm sorry to the group, but the label's branding was terrible, so people wouldn't apply to audition even with GFriend at the label. This was before HYBE was a multi-label. We used the name 'Min Hee Jin's girl group' to brand the project firstly. People were curious I was collaborating with Source because I was from SM Entertainment."
Stay tuned for updates.
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"I thought Minji had potential because she was so pretty back then, more than now,"
well yikes, that must hurt, did she really have to say this?
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