"QUEENS SUPPORT QUEENS" — Fans react as G(I)-DLE's Soyeon gets emotional over NewJeans' speech at 2024 KGMA amidst ongoing HYBE X Min Hee-jin feud

On November 16, 2024, NewJeans fans got emotional after their acceptance speech at the 2024 Korea Grand Music Awards (KGMA) while receiving the Best Artist Award. Amid the ongoing feud between HYBE and Min hee-jin—the former CEO of the HYBE subsidiary label ADOR—the speech struck a chord with the fans and even made G(I)-DLE's Soyeon tear up.

A clip from the award ceremony went viral online, showing G(I)-DLE's Soyeon allegedly getting emotional listening to the girl group's speech.

"We want to thank all the staff members who always help and stand by us, CEO Min Hee Jin, and the fans who came to cheer for us. We are especially grateful to CEO Min Hee Jin, who has always supported us. We hope to continue working together for a long time.[...] Even if we are not NewJeans anymore… NewJeans never die," NewJeans said during the show.

For the unversed, HYBE accused Min Hee-jin of an alleged company takeover in April 2024. She was fired from the post of ADOR's CEO on August 27 and was replaced by Kim Joo-young.

Since then, she has been fighting court cases to get reinstated as ADOR's CEO, which was also rejected by the court in October. Furthermore, NewJeans has shown their undivided support for Min Hee-jin.

Meanwhile, fans highlighted how other K-pop idols could allegedly feel what the ADOR girl group has been going through due to HYBE and Min Hee-jin's conflict.

After seeing Soyeon allegedly crying over the group's speech, one fan wrote on X:

"QUEENS SUPPORT QUEENS"

Fans claimed that Soyeon getting emotional over the speech proves her love for the rookie girl group from ADOR.

"Such an emotional moment! SOYEON’s tears show how much love and passion she has for NewJeans," one fan wrote.

"Because deep down, there are lots of idols outhere could relate to NJs situation, or have encountered similar treatment/situation," another fan said.

"Every idols knows what Newjeans living right now. If you love K-pop, you should understand it too," another fan wrote.

Others underscored that K-pop idols can resonate with what NewJeans are facing currently.

"What NJ is experiencing for everyone to see, is what many idols had to go through in private. I totally understand why so many Idols stand behind them," one fan said.

"NJ are brave youg ladies and I am sure all those gg can relate somehow but can’t say anything. I hope something gets done with this so idols can be treated better in the future," another fan added.

"Remember when minnie mentioned that she met soyeon in 2015, and she only saw her cry 2-3 times ever since..she said that soyeon doesn't cry unless something serious happened," one other fan wrote.

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NewJeans demands reinstatement of Min Hee-jin as ADOR's CEO

On September 11, 2024, the Attention girl group held a YouTube broadcast where they claimed that they felt mistreated under the new leadership. They also demanded that Min Hee-jin be re-appointed as the CEO.

However, the request was rejected by the ADOR board of directors during the emergency shareholders' meeting held on September 25.

On November 13, 2024, the group sent a certified letter to the label stating that they would terminate their exclusive contract if their demands were not met.

"If ADOR does not accept the corrective action request, we will terminate our exclusive contract," they wrote.

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On October 17, 2024, Min Hee-jin was re-hired as the label's in-house director or inside director. However, her re-appointment as the label's CEO remains disapproved.