The group NewJeans is facing the biggest crisis since their debut.
The ultimatum, "Reinstate former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin," was rejected, and HYBE and former CEO Min Hee Jin are now locked in a battle of words, each claiming to act in NewJeans' best interests.
In the meantime, NewJeans' activities have come to a halt. Their Korean fan meeting and album production have been indefinitely postponed. What decision will NewJeans make?
On September 25, HYBE and ADOR held a board meeting, where they promised to reappoint former CEO Min Hee Jin as an inside director and guaranteed her role as producer for NewJeans for the remaining five years of their contract. However, NewJeans' request for Min Hee Jin's return as CEO was not accepted.
In response, Min Hee Jin stated, "The proposal to offer a compromise is just wordplay," and firmly demanded her reinstatement as CEO to ensure NewJeans' continued success.
In a media interview, she also revealed, "HYBE offered me money to leave, but since money wasn't the goal, I refused. The essence of this issue is the public 'execution' of a subsidiary CEO who defied the parent company's authority. NewJeans is like a child born from my head and heart. Due to HYBE's interference, the fan meeting was canceled, and the album work has been halted."
HYBE fired back, denying the claims. "We never offered Min Hee Jin money to leave. The accusations that a foreign PR agency spread defamatory materials are also false. The cancellation of NewJeans' fan meeting and the album delay are due to Min Hee Jin's negligence and delayed decision-making. We urge her to stop spreading false information and return to her duties."
Amid all this, NewJeans has expressed their growing uncertainty. On September 25, Minji left a cryptic message saying, "It seems like a night filled with thoughts. I always gain strength by looking at Bunnies (NewJeans' official fan club). Please take care of yourselves and fill your minds with only good thoughts. Bye."
Additionally, following ADOR's announcement of their refusal to reinstate Min Hee Jin, a recent photo and video update on NewJeans' official account did not feature Hanni, raising further concerns.
Ultimately, the decision lies with NewJeans. As speculation mounts, the industry is watching closely to see if they will file for an injunction to suspend their exclusive contract with HYBE and return to Min Hee Jin's side, or if they will choose to continue working with HYBE, satisfied with Min Hee Jin's role as producer.
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