'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Friday, April 26, 2024, HYBE Labels responded to several claims made by ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin during her emergency press conference that took place on April 25. Following the dispute between ADOR and HYBE, Min Hee-jin explained her stances and accused HYBE Labels of allegedly attacking her and the K-pop girl group she created, NewJeans.
These claims included the neglect of NewJeans in terms of promotions, Min Hee-jin receiving unfair compensation for NewJeans' commercial success, her being linked to HYBE Labels through a slave contract, etc. Therefore, the agency released a statement explaining their side, through facts and pieces of evidence, stating that these claims are neither justified nor acceptable.
The agency explained that NewJeans is reportedly one of the most promoted groups under HYBE. They also revealed Min Hee-jin's salary, which reaches an amount that's ideally unimaginable by normal workers in the industry. Additionally, they called out Min Hee-jin for discussing the contract intricacies in public as it is confidential and prohibited to do so.
Regardless, they explained that Min Hee-jin exercises enough freedom and rights over her stocks on ADOR and that it can't be deemed a slave contract. Amongst many other explanations, HYBE, thereby, refuted the allegations made by the ADOR CEO during her emergency press conference.
HYBE Labels releases statement refuting ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin's allegations and claims during her emergency press conference
On April 22, 2024, HYBE Labels held an audit on ADOR following suspicions of a power struggle. They subsequently found evidence that proved that ADOR executives, particularly Min Hee-jin, had been plotting to make ADOR an independent label. Min Hee-jin explained that she was motivated to do so due to the alleged unfair compensation she received for the commercial success of NewJeans.
However, HYBE revealed that her annual salary amounted to 2 billion KRW, and this was added to another 2 billion KRW incentive for her performance in 2023. On top of this, she also received long-term incentives. The agency explained her salary package ranks first among all HYBE employees and its subsidiaries in Korea. Additionally, she's also said to have received stock compensation.
"This ranks first among all employees of HYBE headquarters and its subsidiaries in Korea. HYBE has also provided significant stock compensation, the value of which is unimaginable to the general public."
In response to her being linked to the agency through a slave contract, HYBE expressed that it's not exactly the truth. The agency first pointed out her contract violation of discussing confidential non-competition clauses in public. Regardless, HYBE Labels gave an explanation to refute the slave contract claims.
"It is not true to say that they are tied together forever. CEO Min can sell her stocks starting from November of this year, and if she sells her stocks, she will not be subject to a ban on competition from November 2026, when her employment contract with the company expires."
They continued,
"Representative Min herself said, 'I can make 100 billion won just by staying still,' and the condition of being guaranteed a large amount of money and being able to cash it out and start a business in the next year can never be called a slave contract. These are unprecedented compensation conditions that ordinary people cannot even imagine."
Regarding her claims on NewJeans not receiving enough promotions. HYBE explained that there were 273 press releases surrounding the K-pop girl group in the past year. Their total number of press releases from BigHit and Pledis Entertainment amounted to 1024, which included several big artists such as BTS, SEVENTEEN, etc.
Moreover, Min Hee-jin made more claims regarding the treatment of NewJeans. HYBE Labels had allegedly promised NewJeans to be the first girl group to debut under the label. However, due to a change in circumstances, LE SSERAFIM debuted right before NewJeans. Regardless, HYBE Labels explained that the same was reportedly due to a few refutes between Source Music and Min Hee-jin.
Additionally, the delay in NewJeans' debut was due to the full control they gave to Min Hee-jin for NewJeans' comeback, according to the procedures and strategies she wanted to use. Finally, they also addressed Min Hee-jin's anger over HYBE's audit of ADOR during NewJeans' upcoming comeback.
The label stated that the audit was merely a response to several threats raised by Min Hee-jin throughout April. The ADOR CEO has allegedly been pressuring the company through emails. She also spread claims stating that the groups BTS, ILLIT, and TWS were made by plagiarizing her creative ideas and strategies. As these actions triggered and pressurized HYBE Labels, they claimed they had no choice but to audit ADOR.
