MIN HEE JIN
Former ADOR representative MIN HEEJIN has fully denied the allegations of “NewJeans tampering.”
On the morning of January 28, a public press conference on the matter took place at the Challenge Hall of the Gyowon Jonggak Building in Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, with Kim Seon Woong, lawyer from the JIAM law firm, in attendance.
Previously, on the 27th, Kim Seon Woong had stated: “The press conference was initially scheduled for Thursday, January 29, but due to the venue reservation, it was moved up to Wednesday, January 28. MIN HEEJIN’s schedule is currently being coordinated, and her participation has not yet been decided.”
Ultimately, MIN HEEJIN did not attend the conference. Kim Seon Woong explained: “Due to issues related to the families of NEWJEANS members, it is difficult for her to speak, and she was deeply shocked by recent discussions regarding family relationships. We ask for your understanding regarding her absence today.”
According to Kim Seon Woong, “The news articles from December 2024 and January 2025 regarding the so-called ‘NewJeans tampering’ have no connection to MIN HEEJIN. It was a public fraud orchestrated by a NEWJEANS member’s family in collusion with an entrepreneur, aimed at manipulating the stock price of a specific company.”
MIN HEEJIN’s team clarified: “When these allegations arose, MIN HEEJIN attempted a settlement with HYBE, waiving all shareholder contract rights for the return and resumption of NEWJEANS activities. During this process, a member’s family with ties to HYBE’s key management exploited MIN HEEJIN’s situation to plan the ‘NewJeans tampering’ and involve forces disrupting the stock market.”
The argument from MIN HEEJIN is that B, the great-uncle of a NEWJEANS member, and Daboring CEO PARK JEONG GYU, attempted to use MIN HEEJIN to manipulate the stock market. When their plans failed, they gave vindictive interviews to certain media, creating the framework of the “NewJeans tampering” case. MIN HEEJIN claims HYBE was aware of all this but turned a blind eye.
MIN HEEJIN herself met with HYBE CEO LEE JAE SANG on September 28, 2024, and released audio files of their discussion. In these exchanges, LEE JAE SANG mentioned rumors about “Terra Science” and “Daboring”, and MIN HEEJIN stated she knew nothing about these companies and had no investment interest.
Her team also denied any investment proposal with PARK JEONG GYU, asserting that no discussions with B or PARK JEONG GYU regarding an investment or NEWJEANS’ release had occurred before the September 28, 2024 meeting. They detailed that MIN HEEJIN only learned the names “Terra” and “Dabo” by listening to a phone conversation on September 29, 2024, and had no prior knowledge of their connection or any investment.
In July 2024, HYBE terminated the shareholder contract, accusing MIN HEEJIN of privatizing NEWJEANS and ADOR, harming the company. A month later, she was removed as ADOR representative. In November of the same year, she resigned from ADOR’s board and notified HYBE of exercising her put options for approximately 26 billion won, which HYBE contested, claiming the shareholder contract had been void since July.
MIN HEEJIN’s team disputes the violation of the shareholder contract and maintains that exercising the put option is valid and should entitle her to the corresponding payment.
In this context, NEWJEANS lost in the first instance a ruling confirming the validity of their exclusive contract with ADOR, but the members expressed their intention to return without appealing. However, ADOR terminated DANIELLE’s contract in December and sued her, a family member, and MIN HEEJIN for 43.1 billion won in damages. MIN HEEJIN founded her new agency OOAK in October of the previous year.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: MIN HEEJIN’s team press conference
