HYBE vs. Min Hee-jin: Second Hearing Set for Shareholder Agreement Termination Lawsuit Today (April 17)
The legal battle between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin continues today, April 17, with the second hearing in the shareholder contract termination confirmation lawsuit.
Held at the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 50 (Presiding Judge Kim Sang-hoon), the hearing concerns HYBE’s lawsuit filed to confirm the termination of its shareholder agreement with Min. The case gains renewed attention following a recent court ruling against NewJeans’ injunction request to terminate their exclusive contract with ADOR.
Although the objection was dismissed on April 16, legal experts believe that the verdict in the injunction case could have significant implications for Min Hee-jin’s shareholder lawsuit, as both cases revolve around similar core arguments.
An anonymous attorney noted, “While the parties involved are different, the key points of contention overlap. Since the court rejected Min’s claims in the injunction, it’s likely those judgments will weigh into the main shareholder lawsuit.”
On March 21, the same court sided with ADOR in an injunction that barred NewJeans from signing deals or acting independently without ADOR’s prior consent. The court rejected all 11 claims raised by NewJeans as grounds for terminating their contract.
The court ruled that ILLIT did not replicate NewJeans’ concept, and that HYBE’s distribution practices, though controversial, did not breach legal norms. Even contentious phrases like “ditch New and start fresh” in HYBE’s internal reports were viewed as strategic language during planning discussions, not personal attacks.
Despite the significance of the lawsuit, Min Hee-jin has maintained public silence, with no appearances or social media activity for over a month. As both legal battles continue to unfold, today’s court proceedings could shape the outcome of Min Hee-jin’s dispute with HYBE and determine her future standing in the K-pop industry.
