HYBE Pushes Back After Police Drop Charges Against Min Hee Jin

This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.

The year-long legal battle between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin has taken another turn. Following the police’s recent decision not to indict Min for breach of trust, clearing her of criminal wrongdoing, HYBE announced its intention to file an objection with the prosecution, signaling it is far from ready to back down.

Police Make Decision On Former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin’s Charges For Breach Of Trust

On July 15, 2025, HYBE released an official statement responding to the outcome of the police investigation, which concluded without pressing charges against Min. The agency stated it would immediately file an objection, citing new developments that emerged after the initial probe began in April 2024.

HYBE originally accused Min of breach of duty and attempted seizure of management rights at ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, prompting a full-scale audit and legal complaint. However, police investigators found no legal basis to support the allegations, and the case was dismissed.

Despite this, HYBE argues that since the police investigation concluded, new evidence has surfaced—particularly in light of legal disputes surrounding the NJZ (formerly NewJeans) members’ attempted contract terminations.

“This is HYBE.

In response to the recent decision not to forward the embezzlement case we filed last year against former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and others to prosecution, HYBE will be filing a formal objection with the prosecution today.

Following the police investigation, new developments arose—including the NewJeans members’ declaration of contract termination—and numerous new pieces of evidence were submitted in related legal proceedings. Based on this, the court has judged Min’s actions to be extremely serious. The appellate court for the injunction case (Seoul High Court) found that Min was ‘intentionally destroying the integrated structure that formed the basis of her exclusive contract,’ and we intend to challenge the non-indictment decision through the objection process based on this.”

NJZ

In its statement, HYBE also addressed a separate set of accusations filed against its own executives. Last year, Min and her allies, including figures like Shin Woo-seok of Dolphin Kidnappers and Team Bunnies, filed complaints against HYBE officials and BELIFT LAB executives for obstruction of business and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. However, those claims were also dismissed. Investigators concluded that HYBE’s statements were not false, were in the public interest, and that internal conversations cited as evidence had been obtained legally during an authorized audit.

“Additionally, we would like to inform you that the complaint filed by Min Hee-jin in July last year against five HYBE executives—alleging obstruction of business and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act—was also dismissed by investigators. Authorities concluded that HYBE’s claims “cannot be considered false,” “relate to the public interest and thus do not constitute defamation,” and that the KakaoTalk messages in question “were obtained lawfully during the course of an audit with proper authority.”

We also confirm that several indiscriminate lawsuits and complaints filed by Min and her associates against HYBE and its affiliate staff have all been dismissed.

These include:

• Min Hee-jin’s defamation and false accusation complaint against BELIFT LAB executives and creative directors
• A defamation complaint under the Information and Communications Network Act filed by Team Bunnies against BELIFT LAB executives
• A similar defamation complaint by Dolphin Kidnappers CEO Shin Woo-seok against ADOR’s current management

All of the above were dismissed or resulted in non-indictment decisions.

Thank you.”

The conflict began as an internal dispute over creative control and management rights at ADOR, the label behind the breakout girl group NewJeans. Tensions escalated when HYBE accused Min of trying to seize control of ADOR and filed legal complaints. Min publicly refuted the claims. As the legal tug-of-war intensifies, fans and industry watchers remain glued to the drama, unsure of what the next move will be in what has become one of K-pop’s most high-profile corporate battles.

HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin