In the midst of a brewing conflict between HYBE and ADOR‘s Min Hee Jin, the label that houses the girl group NewJeans, Minji has stepped into the public eye for the first time.
NewJeans‘ Minji graced a high-end cosmetic brand event in Seoul on the afternoon of April 23rd. She greeted the crowd with a professional wave and struck various poses, including a heart sign.
However, her expression seemed somewhat somber during the photo session, a departure from her usual cheerful demeanor.
This change in mood appears to be a ripple effect of the recent controversy surrounding Min Hee Jin. It was previously reported that HYBE exercised its right to audit ADOR‘s Min Hee Jin and ADOR‘s management team A on April 22nd.
Allegedly, Min Hee Jin had recently partnered with A and pressured HYBE to sell its 80% stake in ADOR to a private equity fund (PEF) she had aligned with.
In response to this, HYBE‘s audit team is said to be formulating a plan to create a separate independent corporation and transfer the NewJeans members, should Min Hee Jin‘s pressure tactics to sell to the private equity fund fail.
There were also rumors that Min Hee Jin, who debuted less than two years ago, was strategizing to shift the responsibility of terminating the contract with NewJeans and ADOR onto HYBE, in anticipation of the substantial penalty risk associated with NewJeans.
Min Hee Jin, however, countered these claims in an official statement on April 22nd, denying any attempts to seize control of ADOR and accusing HYBE of media manipulation. She alleges that she has been the target of retaliatory attacks from HYBE ever since she internally reported suspicions of ILLIT copying NewJeans.
As NewJeans is slated for a comeback in May, all eyes are on the group’s next move. Min Hee Jin stated, “I made the official announcement after sufficient discussion with the NewJeans members and their legal representatives,” which has only heightened fans’ concerns.
Amidst reactions suggesting a repeat of the FiftyFifty incident, Minji too seemed aware of the situation, attending the event with a somber expression.
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