“Is This a Cult?”: NewJeans’ Emotional Court Statements Spark Mixed Reactions Online
As tensions between NewJeans and HYBE continue to escalate, the members’ final statements submitted in their injunction lawsuit against ADOR have been released and public reaction is anything but calm.
Each of the five members Haerin, Danielle, Hyein, Hanni, and Minji openly expressed emotional distress over the conflict, repeatedly emphasizing their deep bond with ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
“Our CEO is like our sixth member,” said Danielle, while Hanni directly accused HYBE of acting out of fear, stating, “They are afraid of our growth and are trying to suppress us by force.”
Minji’s statement described a toxic environment: “We have continuously faced discrimination… ADOR inflicted daily suffering upon us.”
Danielle: “Our contract includes our CEO. It feels like one of our members has been hurt right now. I am so scared that we will lose our CEO. Although we are five, we are no different than being six members. How can we not be with our CEO?”
AdvertisementHyein: “Right now, ADOR feels like a place where the future is uncertain and suffocating. The bright future we envisioned with our CEO was suddenly cut off for no clear reason. If we stay with ADOR, we cannot release works filled with sincerity, but rather insincere productions for the public.”
Hanni: “I believe HYBE is acting out of fear of us. They are afraid of our growth and are trying to suppress us by force. They say they want to ‘work together,’ but in reality, they are attacking us from behind. I cannot believe this. From the beginning, HYBE has never shown us any respect. ADOR is now filled with HYBE’s people, and we cannot work with those we do not trust.”
Minji: “We have continuously faced discrimination. HYBE has relentlessly attacked us to the point where we questioned whether we were truly their artists. ADOR, which should have protected us, instead inflicted daily suffering upon us. We decided to terminate our contract because we felt we could no longer continue our activities there. We sincerely hope that the court will understand our feelings.”
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The members’ intense support for Min Hee-jin despite legal and corporate implications raised eyebrows online. Netizens reacted with a mix of concern, criticism, and disbelief:
- “Saying that the CEO is also a member sounded strange back then, and it still sounds strange now.”
- “Why do they keep going on and on about Min Hee-jin? It’s honestly kind of scary… Have they been brainwashed?”
- “There were already rumors from the start that Min Hee-jin and NewJeans were too close, and now look at this.”
- “Calling the CEO a member… wow, that’s scary. Feels like they’ve been brainwashed into a cult.”
- “This is frustrating. Why would HYBE be afraid of you? These kids are really naïve.”
Others pointed to the practical consequences of the lawsuit:
“They don’t want to pay the penalty fees but still want to stay with Min Hee-jin, just throwing a tantrum.”
“Min Hee-jin won’t even pay their penalty fees… In the end, if she cuts ties with them, they’ll be the only ones left in debt.”
While some fans sympathize with the group’s loyalty and emotional attachment, the online discourse shows a growing divide in public perception — with some raising red flags about the nature of their relationship with Min Hee-jin and questioning how it may have influenced the group’s legal decisions.