Recently, former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin attended a hearing related to the lawsuit requesting payment for share sales associated with the exercise of the right to sell that she filed against HYBE Group, and at the same time, a separate lawsuit filed by HYBE to confirm the termination of the shareholder agreement.
At the trial, Min Hee Jin said, I know about that livestream (of NewJeans). But it's not for me, it's for you."
Min Hee Jin admitted that she had known in advance the content that NewJeans members planned to publicly announce in the emergency livestream called "What NewJeans Want to Say", which aired last September after the group launched a new YouTube channel.
She also admitted that she shared communication information from the staff needed to set up the broadcast. However, Min Hee Jin confirmed that she did not meet the members on the livestream day.
When asked if she ever advised NewJeans when considering the possible impacts, Min Hee Jin replied, They didnt do the livestream for me. They do it for themselves.
The purpose is not to save me, but to say that NewJeans was harmed by HYBE, that the sudden disappearance of the CEO caused leadership gaps, and that NewJeans was caught up in a public opinion battle.
The former CEO continued: The focus is, Why did you remove our CEO and hurt us? It's not to protect me. It is an act of protest because HYBE has acted unreasonably.
Previously, on September 11, 2024, 5 NewJeans members held a livestream to protest Min Hee Jin's dismissal as CEO of ADOR Company (under HYBE Group) and request her to restore her position.
During the broadcast, NewJeans said, We hope HYBE will stop interfering with us. Please restore Min Hee Jin's position as CEO and bring us back to the original environment, not a strange environment to strange people.
We just want to do our job well. We do not ask for anything more than that. Just whoever is in a position is enough to do a good job in that position. We will also try our best in our position.
When the request was not met, in November 2024, NewJeans held a unilateral press conference to announce the termination of the contract with ADOR. In response, HYBE's subsidiary has filed a lawsuit to request confirmation of the validity of the exclusive contract.
In October 2025, the court declared ADOR a winner and concluded: "The exclusive contract between ADOR and NewJeans signed on April 21, 2022 is still valid". The contract lasts for 7 years, until 2029.
After losing the lawsuit, the two members Haerin and Hyein expressed their intention to continue working with ADOR and were accepted by the company.
The remaining 3 members, Minji, Danielle and Hanni, also announced their return to ADOR, but discussions with the company are still ongoing and there are no final results yet.
