The once-close relationship between NewJeans and their former mentor, Min Hee Jin, described by some as a destined partnership, has turned sharply contentious amid ongoing legal battles. What was once seen as a near-familial bond is now a source of public scrutiny and conflict.
On October 30, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of ADOR, the label founded by Min Hee Jin, in a lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of NewJeans’ exclusive contracts. The suit, filed against the five members resulted in a decisive legal victory for the label.
The court rejected all claims brought by NewJeans, citing over 100 references to Min Hee Jin during the trial, including KakaoTalk messages exchanged with her associates, which played a key role in the decision. According to the ruling, the contracts did not require Min Hee Jin to manage NewJeans directly. The court noted that her actions—including preparing public statements, reports, and potential lawsuits—appeared aimed at protecting ADOR from HYBE and influencing public opinion in the group’s favor, rather than safeguarding the members’ contractual interests.
Specific incidents, such as Hanni’s ignore her comment and allegations of pushing out albums, were also found to be Min Hee Jin’s strategic moves against HYBE, rather than actions meant to harm NewJeans.
In a separate legal battle, Source Music filed a 500 million KRW (approximately 341,300 USD) damages suit against Min Hee Jin. During a hearing on November 7, videos showing NewJeans’ casting process contradicted Min Hee Jin’s prior claims that she had personally selected the members and that HYBE had promised to debut them as its first girl group but failed to deliver.
Source Music clarified that Minji was cast before Min Hee Jin joined HYBE, Haerin was discovered through street casting in Anyang, Hyein’s parents were personally persuaded to sign her contract by Source Music’s CEO, Danielle joined after transferring from another agency when her manager moved to Source Music, and Hanni was selected through the Plus Global Audition, a 16-country collaboration between HYBE and Source Music in which Min did not participate as a judge.
Source Music stressed that Min Hee Jin had no direct involvement in member selection, a point confirmed by both provisional and main court rulings in the exclusive contract case.
Min Hee Jin’s legal team argued that while Source Music physically cast the members, Min Hee Jin, as HYBE’s Chief Brand Officer, oversaw the selection process, assigned roles, and shaped the group’s branding and launch. “She didn’t personally sign contracts, but she played a crucial role in orchestrating the group’s debut,” they said.
On claims that NewJeans was promised as HYBE’s first girl group, Min Hee Jin maintained that the S21 project indicated a first-debut expectation, noting that no other girl group existed at the time and that later additions (the S team) were not pre-planned.
Source Music countered, asserting that debut timing and management were strategic, but Min Hee Jin’s public claims—including that HYBE betrayed NewJeans in favor of LE SSERAFIM—were false and part of a PR effort to gain leverage.
