Adore, the management company of K-pop group NewJeans, has responded to claims made by a lawyer regarding its parent company, HYBE.
On September 13, Adore released an official statement requesting a rebuttal to an article that accused HYBE of “unlawful practices” by a legal professional. The company clarified that exercising the right to rebuttal was essential to protect its corporate value and artist IP, emphasizing that the board's decision to replace the CEO was within its authority. Furthermore, Adore expressed regret over being criticized solely based on a specific lawyer's statements without a proper chance for a response.
The controversy arose after attorney Lee Hyun-gon alleged on September 12 that HYBE was bringing up legal disputes against Min Hee-jin for ulterior motives. He argued that they were manipulating the situation without adhering to legal standards, comparing their tactics to those used in dubious real estate transactions. This statement was cited by some media outlets without granting Adore the opportunity to counter the claims.
Meanwhile, in April, HYBE filed a complaint against former Adore CEO Min Hee-jin for embezzlement while both parties have maintained differing views on the matter. Amid the ongoing tension, Min was dismissed from her position on August 27, and HR expert Kim Joo-young has since taken over as CEO. Min has since filed for a preliminary injunction to convene an emergency shareholder meeting to reappoint her as an internal director.
As the situation continues to develop, all eyes are on the courthouse to see how the judge will rule on this contentious issue.