In a surprising turn of events, ADOR’s board of directors has reappointed former CEO Min Hee-jin as an inside director following a shareholders’ meeting. The decision comes just before her current term was set to expire on November 1st, effectively extending her role for another three years starting November 2nd. Min’s return marks a critical moment for the company, particularly in light of recent controversies involving both ADOR and its parent company, HYBE.
Min Hee-jin, whose leadership has been closely tied to the success of New Jeans, addressed the importance of her reappointment, citing the need for consistent leadership to ensure the group’s vision is realized. “There is a process and plan to realize New Jeans’ vision,” Min remarked during an interview with Japanese television, as reported by Kukmin Ilbo. She further elaborated, “In order to proceed according to plan, production, advance investment, and management must all move together.” Despite her influence within the company, Min acknowledged the limitations of her role, stating, “Contractually, I am neither a producer nor a CEO. It is an ambiguous situation with only the authority of an internal director.” [출처] – 국민일보 [원본링크] – https://www.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=0020631512&code=61141411&cp=nv”
Min had previously been replaced by HYBE’s Chief HR Officer, Kim Ju-young, as ADOR’s CEO—a decision that followed a series of internal disputes that became public. These disputes have led to ongoing litigation involving Min, ADOR, HYBE, and several other parties, reflecting growing tensions within the organization.
The situation escalated when the members of New Jeans took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction, hosting an extraordinary live stream in which they called for Min’s reinstatement as CEO. In a highly emotional broadcast, the members also expressed their respect for their parent company, HYBE, while drawing attention to unresolved issues. Notably, member Hanni Pham discussed an incident involving bullying by another group’s manager, sparking wider conversations about workplace culture within the K-pop industry.
Hanni’s story gained significant attention, leading to her being invited to speak before South Korea’s National Assembly Labour Committee on October 15th. During her testimony, she reiterated the incident of being dismissed by the manager, and also pointed to a broader culture of disregard from higher-ups at HYBE, singling out company founder Bang Si-Hyuk for failing to acknowledge her greetings.
