Min Hee Jin awaits court decision, claims HYBE complicated NewJeans situation: first

Hello, this is Min Hee-jin.

This is my first personal statement since the press conference.

The reason I am writing this instead of a formal statement is because the context of what I wish to clarify cannot be fully conveyed through a formal statement.

To those reading this, I apologize for addressing you all when this should not concern you. Since April 22, I’ve been living through disconcerting days, and it’s necessary to correct the falsehoods HYBE has claimed in court, to minimize any misunderstandings.

My candid nature was likely apparent at the press conference, so I will speak without reservation.

The reason for my frankness is that the nature of this matter is far from serious or solemn.

First, regarding the issue with Naver and Dunamu:

On March 6, 2024, at 7:30 PM, my acquaintance, A, invited me to dinner.

A mentioned that long-time friends would be joining, and the friends I met there were older and amiable.

During the meal, one of A’s friends called another acquaintance to join, whose identity I was not aware of at the time. About an hour later, this person arrived. Initially, I did not recognize them. When they introduced themselves as Mr. C from Dunamu, I remembered that they had expressed a desire to meet me through Chairman Bang Si-hyuk a long time ago. Mr. C knew I was at the dinner and expressed a desire to attend because of their interest in NewJeans and curiosity about me as the producer. Unbeknownst to me, everyone at the table had connections with Mr. B from Naver, who also ended up joining us. Without my intention, it turned into a gathering of everyone connected, and the meeting concluded as a personal gathering unrelated to investment, with every attendee able to testify to this.

Contrary to HYBE’s grand media play, the meeting with Mr. C from Dunamu was just that.

HYBE, not even present at the meeting, based their false claims on what?

Mr. C expressed a desire to visit NewJeans’ Tokyo Dome concert, and our subsequent conversation was brief and related only to the concert. My subsequent interactions with Mr. B involved a few exchanges about personal concerns.

On my way home from the dinner, I discussed with Vice President L the coincidence of meeting these people, and VP L speculated that it might be mutually beneficial if a company like Dunamu, which had invested in HYBE, could become the owner of ADOR. However, this idea was not feasible without HYBE’s consent, and since it was my first meeting with Mr. C from Dunamu, no such discussion about ownership could have taken place.

Despite the remote possibility of these events, the idea briefly felt like a breath of fresh air.

As the CEO of ADOR, I’ve felt as if we were subtly ostracized within HYBE, like an outcast. I’ve imagined escaping from an unavoidable aggressor—is that so wrong?

We’re not living in a world where thoughts are censored, so why should this be an issue? I’d be curious to censor the thoughts of HYBE executives as well.

After joining ADOR, VP L, who had been with HYBE, was surprised to learn about the ostracism we faced and asked how I had been coping. Our discussions about how to avoid harassment from HYBE were merely that, yet HYBE took these conversations and maliciously edited them to appear as a grand scheme.

I still can’t believe I have to explain a casual meeting in such detail, as if clarifying some grave accusation.

Did you ever find the reality behind the grand claims about Saudi wealth?

It’s shocking that HYBE would involve acquaintances who are also within their own network, putting them in difficult situations and exploiting those circumstances.

How could a business proposal make sense at a dinner with people I had just met for the first time? Again, I emphasize that if factual verification is needed, a four-way meeting including HYBE should be requested.

I have never proposed such a thing to Naver or Dunamu, so HYBE should check if they have ever received such a proposal from them. Don’t just verify the ‘meeting’; verify the ‘purpose and content’ of the meeting.

Regardless of the facts, given my experience, headlines might likely twist this into “Min Hee-jin admits meeting with Naver, Dunamu.” What I have consistently stated about not meeting investors was in the context of not attempting to usurp control.

People hold various social positions—CEOs, lawyers, doctors, teachers. For example, a school parent meeting wouldn’t become a lawyer or investor meeting just because an investment company CEO attends.

Even if I met with investors, what issue could there be with a CEO or Vice President meeting an investor? Does HYBE scrutinize other subsidiary presidents for meeting with investors? And do you audit those who frequently entertain at risqué venues?

Why were there no meeting proposals or verbal inquiries before the audit?

There was enough cause in the whistleblower document to discuss, yet why was there never a request for a meeting?

The corporate law concerning subsidiary investigation states, “Considering the independence of subsidiaries, the parent company’s audit committee should first request an investigation report from the subsidiary. If the subsidiary does not respond or the report is inadequate, then direct auditing is permissible.”

Why would HYBE conduct an aggressive, illegal audit at the risk of lowering its stock price? I affirm that the evidence HYBE presented was illegally obtained.

No matter how much you force it, you cannot turn a non-event into an event.

Escape from the manipulative framing that asks if investors were met or not.

2.

Complex human relationships cannot be simply explained by a few snippets of KakaoTalk.

There’s no need for excuses, nor is there anything to clarify.

My personality, casual speech, humor, and the specific situations and people involved in those conversations are not known to those who simplify and judge. You would be in the same situation if HYBE cut and edited your messages.

NewJeans and I have gone through many situations and issues unknown to you. I cannot explain them all here, nor is there a reason to; unnecessary further explanations would require revealing others’ private matters and create further divisions and wounds.

Despite the many challenges we’ve faced, these have brought us closer together, making our bond stronger and more resilient.

You might think that after 20 years in the idol industry, I would understand it, but it continues to be perplexing.

Working with young idols in a prejudiced business environment, using other people’s money, is incredibly challenging and fraught with obstacles.

Most people aren’t born wealthy; aside from a few, most grow up in ordinary households, and raising funds for a business is as difficult as reaching for the stars. Gaining investment based on talent is a skill. Starting a business with such funds is not a crime, and I’ve repaid more than tenfold the initial investment amount, returning immense intangible value, yet I’m framed as a traitor and egotist for starting with initial investment. What happened to the value I provided to HYBE? Wasn’t that the reason they recruited me?

The idol business I’ve experienced is full of contradictions. Balancing profit pursuit with the welfare of young idols is far from easy.

If I had been less compulsive, perhaps my role would have been easier. My passion for avoiding any fault became a poison, although looking back, I have no regrets about how things proceeded.

We’ve been through tough, difficult, enjoyable, and challenging times together, making NewJeans and me like a family but bonded in a way that goes beyond simple familial ties. Thus, I can only explain our relationship as being more profound than you might think.

After being attacked with edited KakaoTalk messages, the members sent me texts of comfort, filled with love, continuing into the next morning. I cried not because I was misunderstood or insulted by strangers, but because it was heartbreaking that everyone involved had to go through such terrible situations. It’s unfortunate that some people fall for such transparent schemes, but that’s an issue for those who instigate, not those who are deceived.

If you care even slightly about NewJeans, the best thing you could do is ensure the members are not dragged into such baseless matters.

No matter how much you hate me, I couldn’t do this if I considered the members’ futures. I’ve been focused on suing malicious YouTube channels, as I’ve always thought it malicious to provide private materials to such channels. The irony of this situation has struck me.

Someone might say I could just give up, but if you consider our humanity and reflect on our experiences, that’s not possible.

I’ve thought millions of times a day about whom and what I am doing this for.

Working through compromises would have ensured a financially rewarding end to my term. However, I proceeded with whistleblowing despite the risks because there are values I want to protect. Why would someone motivated by money choose such a difficult path of whistleblowing and pursue legally impossible methods without HYBE’s approval? It doesn’t add up.

Money was never my primary interest, and no matter how much you vilify me, those who know me understand this. My future decisions and actions will speak more than any words about what I stand for.

This statement isn’t made to tediously convince those who misunderstand; it’s because the values I hold dear are indeed more significant than money.

Those who know the decisions and judgments I’ve made throughout my career will understand this.

Honestly, I’ve wanted to leave this corrupt industry countless times.

I have no desire to package myself for those who don’t know me.

Going through these experiences makes me question why I’ve struggled so much to continue in this field, but I constantly remind myself that there must be a greater purpose.

HYBE has already put the team NewJeans in a difficult position. Honestly, it’s horrifying and disgusting how far they’ve taken this.

Humans are not dolls. We cannot be puppeteered by someone’s judgment or branded. Each person’s life is too valuable to be judged by a kangaroo court of those who have never worked with us.

No matter how much HYBE wants to turn me into a witch, they are not the ones who know me best.

3.

Living in this world, conflict is an inevitable choice. However, I am one of those who find all hostility profoundly regrettable. While I dislike conflict, I believe it’s a necessary evil for better leaps forward. I usually lean towards self-deprecation, but pulling together whatever positive energy I have, I think this absurd reality must be accepted in the same context.

I do not seek to divide people into specific groups or genders to appeal for sympathy or support in my difficulties. Human uniqueness isn’t determined merely by gender; it’s because our characteristics differ that we have distinct reasons for existence.

I am a person of deep thought and concern. Thus, anyone who knows me can feel that my reasons and explanations are often excessive. Therefore, you cannot casually cut and splice my usual thoughts or philosophy based on snippets of conversation without context.

Due to this trait, I prefer working with a small group or a few people. Only about five members within ADOR engage in direct, detailed communication with me. This is likely due to personal trauma.

Strangely, since my previous job, I’ve been consistently stressed by people who slander me for things I haven’t done or lie about me as if they’ve met me, even though I barely participate in external activities. I don’t enjoy alcohol, cigarettes, or nightlife and barely know how to relieve stress, which has led me to minimize meetings as a form of self-defense.

Therefore, although I’ve hardly interacted directly with other HYBE members for work, I was surprised to hear that many speak as if they’ve worked directly with me. Amidst this, I’d like to express my gratitude for the cautious support messages from other HYBE organizational members.

This situation reminded me of something the CEO Park Ji-won once mentioned in passing about how well he conducted restructuring at his previous job and why certain attentions were necessary. I didn’t care at the time and let it go in one ear and out the other, not realizing it would come back like this.

Before the audit, HYBE forensically examined without consent the laptop I used when I joined and returned after resetting two years ago. How is my personal history before establishing ADOR relevant to this audit?

I’ve also heard that during the public court session, which many journalists attended, they chose not to make legal arguments but instead read selectively sensational parts of private conversations. Not being in court at the time, hearing about these acts later was chilling.

They carelessly publicized personal matters and used the vice president’s laptop without permission to find material to attack me, threatening and coaxing him with criminal liability. They also pressured ADOR members, entering their homes late at night to demand personal phones and leaked private conversations out of context.

Despite these barbaric actions, they distributed articles claiming to protect the members. The real intention behind the audit becomes questionable.

HYBE has surveilled private KakaoTalk conversations, and they know how much content favorable to me and unfavorable to them was edited out.

Despite the clear stipulations in the “Corporate Law on Subsidiary Investigation,” the illegal audit conducted by their own standards shows how low they’ve stooped, raising questions about HYBE’s moral insensitivity.

4.

I urge you to see the essence.

If the true purpose was a fair audit and evidence of attempted corporate takeover was secured, grand media play was unnecessary. Correct evidence and a legal audit process could have handled it quietly and quickly, announcing only the results afterward. This would have prevented stock price drops and eliminated the need for manipulation.

The essence of the current dispute lies in securing a future for many, including myself, by finding the best way to overcome a serious issue that has arisen.

This isn’t about a public trial based on biased, fabricated information against me.

We are currently engaged in legal disputes.

It’s time to await the judge’s decision based on the facts.

Despite being nauseated by HYBE’s manipulation, which distracts from the core issues by maliciously twisting them, such behavior, if tolerated, will terrifyingly not only apply to me in the future. Therefore, I cannot give up.

I haven’t seen the petition submitted by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, but the term “evil” mentioned in the headlines struck me. The same word can be used very differently, which I’ve deeply realized again.

Baseless facts and various articles have proliferated too much.

Once an unfounded article is published, even if it’s untrue, it frames the narrative, necessitating a clarifying response, complicating the process. And it’s easy to be swayed by the initial aggressive claims.

In such a climate, where it’s hard for the public to discern the truth, it’s better to calmly await the court’s decision and organize subsequent steps rather than being swayed by indiscriminate articles.

I apologize for the disturbance caused by this noisy situation.

Thank you.