Min Hee Jin is speaking out after a court ruled in her favor in a dispute with HYBE over the termination of their shareholder agreement and her put option, ordering the company to pay her about 25.5 billion KRW (approx. 17.7 million USD) along with additional payouts to two former ADOR directors.
On Thursday, the former ADOR CEO released a statement thanking the court “for clearly and fairly determining right and wrong after a long legal process,” and expressing deep gratitude to those who supported her throughout the case.
Looking back, Min said, “Before the dispute, I worked like crazy, but I don’t think I truly enjoyed my work. Ironically, through this conflict, I realized how much I love what I do and how precious that work is to me.”
She added that she respects the court’s decision confirming the validity of the shareholder agreement, and said she hopes the ruling can become “a turning point to help the K-pop industry self-correct and improve.” She continued, “I hope this serves as a reminder of how serious contracts and promises are in K-pop, and whether they truly represent the position of creators.”
Min emphasized that her focus now is on moving forward. “I’m going back to where I belong. Not to beat anyone, but to devote all my energy to inspiring people and creating new culture,” she said. “With ooak records, I will bring the blueprints I’ve been envisioning to life and build a strong foundation where our creators and artists can fully express their talent.”
HYBE has decided to appeal the first ruling. In legal and industry circles, the move is being viewed as a pride-driven battle with little practical gain. MK Sports reported that HYBE’s refusal to accept the loss may be an effort to preserve justification and cover for management’s misjudgment. Some observers have also suggested the appeal could be a “delay strategy.”
>> Min Hee Jin Wins in Court as HYBE Ordered to Pay $17.7 Million
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