Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has declined an offer to continue as the producer of the popular K-pop group NewJeans, just days after being replaced as head of the HYBE-owned label.
Despite HYBE’s attempts to retain Min as the group’s producer, the executive has rejected the offer, citing “unreasonable” contract terms, according to local media on Friday (August 30).
The disagreement stems from a proposed contract that would have extended Min’s role as NewJeans‘ producer until her contract with ADOR expires on November 1. Min’s public relations agency, Macoll Consulting Group, has accused HYBE of demanding that the contract be signed by August 30, despite the tight timeline and alleged inclusion of “harmful” clauses.
“Hybe’s announcement that Min would continue to work with NewJeans, as reported on Tuesday (August 27), was never agreed upon,” Macoll Consulting said in a statement cited by The Korea Herald.
“Hybe’s announcement that Min would continue to work with NewJeans, as reported on Tuesday (August 27), was never agreed upon.”
Macoll Consulting Group
“It is unrealistic to expect the successful completion of crucial production tasks, such as preparing for NewJeans’ world tour in 2025, under such a short-term contract,” the agency said.
One of the contentious points in the contract was a one-year non-compete clause, which Min argued was disproportionately long given the short duration of the proposed agreement. Additionally, she expressed concerns about a clause that could have allowed HYBE to terminate her contract prematurely, the report noted.
HYBE, on the other hand, has defended its offer, claiming that it was simply extending Min’s role as an internal director at ADOR for the remaining two months of her existing contract. The company also said that a one-year non-compete clause is industry standard for executives.
“It is the industry norm for companies to enforce a one-year noncompete clause,” a HYBE official reportedly said.
Despite Min’s rejection of the offer, HYBE said it remains open to the possibility of future collaborations. “We don’t have a producer yet to work with NewJeans. If things don’t work out, we will have to find an alternative,” the HYBE official was quoted by Korea Herald as saying, adding: “However, that outcome would suggest she did all this for financial gain in the end.”
The fallout comes just days after HYBE announced Kim Ju-young as the new CEO of ADOR, replacing Min, amid an ongoing legal dispute. Min, who co-founded ADOR in 2021, played a key role in the label’s success, particularly with NewJeans’ debut. However, escalating tensions with HYBE executives have led to a series of legal actions, including accusations of defamation and leaking of private information.
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