HYBE Welcomes Shinsegae’s President ‘Right-Hand’ Lee Bo-young as Min Hee-jin’s Successor

According to industry sources on May 21, Lee Bo-young has finalized her resignation from Shinsegae and is set to officially join HYBE by the end of May.

Insider reports confirm, “It’s true that Lee Bo-young is moving to HYBE. However, only a select few executives within the company are aware of this transition.”

Lee Bo-young, known as the “right-hand” of Shinsegae Group President Jung Yoo-kyung, is a renowned branding expert recently recruited by HYBE, the entertainment powerhouse led by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk. Industry insiders widely interpret this move as HYBE’s effort to fill the role left vacant by Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR, who departed amid the fallout from the recent “NewJeans controversy.”

Born in 1972, Lee Bo-young is celebrated for her exceptional expertise in design and branding. She made history as Shinsegae Group’s first female executive when she joined in 2010. Her impressive career includes roles such as Creative Director at LVMH’s Sephora and Global Creative Director at Google. In 2023, she returned to Shinsegae as a trusted advisor when Jung Yoo-kyung focused on expanding beauty and lifestyle businesses.

Up until recently, Lee Bo-young served as the head of Shinsegae’s Brand Business Division and Shinsegae International’s Brand Business Division. She is credited with the successful remodeling of the food hall at Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam, Seoul—an overhaul praised by critics and customers alike.

Given her extensive background in brand strategy, visual direction, and creative leadership, many industry watchers believe Lee Bo-young is poised to take on a role similar to Min Hee-jin’s at HYBE. Like Min Hee-jin’s initial position, Lee Bo-young is expected to join HYBE’s parent company rather than any individual subsidiary label. The exact nature of her role and title, however, remains confidential. HYBE declined to confirm details, with a spokesperson telling Weekly Chosun, “We do not confirm the onboarding of specific individuals.”

The news has stirred a variety of reactions online:

• ……Can’t they bring in someone who actually knows the entertainment industry? After seeing Park Ji-won stir up the fandom and then run away, do they still not get it?
• Hmm… Calling her Min Hee-jin’s successor doesn’t seem right — that woman is on a whole different level, way more successful and smarter. It just feels like they added another female executive. If the headlines reduce her to merely being “Min Hee-jin’s replacement,” I think Lee Bo-young might find that pretty insulting.
• Isn’t a branding expert totally different from a producer who makes music and handles styling?…..;;;; I don’t know. Whatever—I’m not really interested in what happens to HYBE, so they can do whatever they want.
• They didn’t recruit a producer — they brought in a branding expert. Really shows what kind of company HYBE is.
• Isn’t this just another case of Min Hee-jin-extremists and psychobunnies fans bashing another woman just because she’s supposedly Min Hee-jin’s successor? They criticized Korean men so much, but now they’re acting just like them—judging appearances and throwing insults. LOL.

HYBE’s recruitment of Lee Bo-young signals a strategic shift towards strengthening brand and creative leadership within the company. While Lee Bo-young’s appointment has raised questions among fans and industry insiders alike, it remains clear that HYBE is evolving its leadership team to navigate the complexities of the entertainment business and beyond.