Min Hee-jin vs. HYBE: Put Option, Defamation, and Damages Suits

The legal fight between Min Hee-jin and HYBE has spread across at least six separate proceedings since April 2024, ranging from a shareholder payout dispute to criminal complaints, subsidiary defamation suits, and a US federal case alleging a coordinated smear campaign. As of mid-2026, the Min Hee-jin vs. HYBE lawsuit picture is mixed: a Seoul court ordered HYBE to pay Min roughly 25.5 billion won (about $17.6 million) for her ADOR shares, but HYBE has appealed and posted a court deposit to freeze payment, while a separate ADOR damages suit against Min is still in hearings.¹²

How the Fight Began

Min founded ADOR in 2021 as an independent label inside HYBE’s multi-label system. HYBE held 80% of the equity; Min held 18% and produced NewJeans, which debuted in 2022.³

On April 22, 2024, HYBE opened an internal audit of ADOR and demanded Min’s resignation, alleging she had tried to pressure HYBE into selling its stake and had explored spinning the label off. Three days later, HYBE reported her to police for breach of trust. Min denied the takeover narrative and countered with her own allegations: that HYBE subsidiary BELIFT LAB had copied NewJeans’ concept, styling, and choreography for the group ILLIT, and that HYBE had permitted the leaking of NewJeans members’ trainee videos and medical records.⁴

Min briefly blocked HYBE’s attempt to fire her at a May 31, 2024 shareholders’ meeting through a Seoul Central District Court injunction. The court found HYBE’s evidence insufficient and said Min’s actions were “difficult to say” amounted to a breach of trust toward ADOR.⁵ She was replaced as CEO on August 27, 2024, and resigned as an internal director of ADOR that November.⁶

The Put Option Ruling and HYBE’s Appeal

The largest financial case turns on a “put option” clause in Min’s shareholder agreement. The formula multiplied ADOR’s average operating profit over the previous two fiscal years by 13, then applied 75% of Min’s percentage stake, entitling her to sell her shares back to HYBE at a set price.⁷ In July 2024, HYBE terminated the shareholder agreement, arguing Min’s alleged misconduct voided it. Min notified HYBE in November 2024 that she was exercising the option for roughly 26 billion won, and sued when HYBE refused to pay.⁸

On February 12, 2026, Civil Division 31 of the Seoul Central District Court, under senior judge Nam In-soo, ruled for Min. HYBE was ordered to pay approximately 25.5 billion won (around $17.6 million) for her shares, and two former ADOR executives, ex-vice president Shin and ex-creative director Kim, were awarded a combined 3.1 billion won.¹⁹

The court rejected HYBE’s grounds for terminating the shareholder agreement, describing them as “abstract or minor ancillary obligations” that could not justify cancellation when weighed against the “clear and significant” financial harm Min would suffer.¹⁰¹¹¹²

HYBE filed its appeal on February 19, 2026. Six days later it deposited 29.25 billion won (about $20 million) with the Seoul Central District Court to secure a stay of provisional enforcement, and the court accepted the application. Min will not receive the money until the appeal concludes.¹³²

Min’s Settlement Offer

On February 25, 2026, the same day HYBE posted its deposit, Min held a Seoul press conference and offered to give up the entire 25.6 billion won payout if HYBE dropped every civil and criminal case tied to the dispute. Her proposal reached beyond her own cases to those involving NewJeans members, former ADOR employees, external partners such as production company Dolphiners Film, and fan communities.¹⁴¹⁵

“I have decided to exchange 25.6 billion won for another value,” she told reporters, urging HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk to resolve the conflict “in the realm of creation, not in the courtroom.”¹⁶ HYBE never publicly accepted or formally responded. It declined to comment on the specific terms and said only that it would proceed with the appeal already filed.¹⁵ Korea JoongAng Daily reported that continuing the appeal amounted to an effective rejection.¹⁷

Criminal Complaints on Both Sides

HYBE reported Min and other ADOR executives to police on April 26, 2024, alleging breach of trust. Min filed her own complaints against five HYBE executives, alleging obstruction of business and defamation.¹⁸

After a yearlong investigation, police cleared Min in July 2025, finding “no evidence of wrongdoing” and saying the allegations “lack sufficient grounds for criminal charges.”¹⁹ HYBE objected and asked prosecutors to review the case; as of July 2025 it remained under prosecutorial review, and no publicly reported final disposition has followed.²⁰

Min’s complaints also failed. On May 27, 2026, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office declined to indict 10 HYBE and BELIFT LAB executives, including former HYBE CEO Park Ji-won and BELIFT LAB chief Kim Tae-ho. Prosecutors concluded a 2024 HYBE press release about Min’s management practices did not meet the threshold for defamation, and that HYBE’s access to ADOR emails and messages during the audit fell within the company’s “lawful audit powers.”²¹

Defamation Suits From HYBE Subsidiaries

Min’s public accusations drew separate civil suits from two HYBE labels. In May 2024, BELIFT LAB sued her for defamation and obstruction of business over her claims about ILLIT, seeking roughly 2 billion won. In July 2024, Source Music filed its own suit seeking 500 million won over Min’s comments about LE SSERAFIM and her allegations that HYBE unfairly favored other acts in recruiting NewJeans members.⁴¹⁸

Both cases had first hearings in January 2025. As of March 30, 2026, the Seoul Western District Court reclassified the hearing dates as “tentative,” effectively suspending both proceedings.²²

ADOR’s Damages Suit Against Min

On December 29, 2025, ADOR filed a civil suit in the Seoul Central District Court against Min Hee-jin, NewJeans member Danielle, and a member of Danielle’s family. The initial claim was about 43.1 billion won (roughly $29.8 million), later adjusted to approximately 33 billion won. ADOR alleged the defendants were responsible for “triggering the dispute and disrupting NewJeans’ activities” and specifically pointed to Danielle’s attempt to continue entertainment activities without ADOR’s involvement in violation of a March 2025 injunction.²³²⁴

The case is assigned to Civil Division 31, the same panel that handled the put option ruling. A second hearing took place on June 11, 2026, with the next set for July 2, 2026.²⁴

The US TAG PR Lawsuit

In December 2025, PR firm Jonesworks and its founder Stephanie Jones filed an amended complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York against the founders of TAG PR, a firm in which HYBE America acquired a 51% stake in August 2024. The complaint alleges TAG PR ran systematic “reverse viral marketing” campaigns against Jonesworks’ clients and names Min Hee-jin as one of the targets. It claims TAG PR used anonymous websites, including one called “minheejin.net,” social media accounts, and coordinated news articles to attack her.²⁵

Min confirmed in January 2026 that she had met with a US attorney about the case and said she might pursue her own action against HYBE headquarters if coordination is established through discovery.⁸ HYBE denied any involvement, calling the matter “a legal dispute unrelated to either HYBE or HYBE America.”²⁵

What About the NewJeans Contract Case

The NewJeans contract dispute is often folded into the Min Hee-jin vs. HYBE story, but the parties are different. ADOR sued the five NewJeans members after they moved to terminate their exclusive contracts in late 2024. On October 30, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled the contracts remain valid through 2029, finding Min’s dismissal did not create a “managerial vacuum” and that the members’ personal trust in Min was not a “fundamental obligation” under the contract. Each member faces a penalty of 1 billion won per instance of performing without ADOR’s approval.²⁶ As of June 2026, the members had lost their final appeal.² Danielle’s contract was terminated by ADOR on December 29, 2025, citing conflicting contracts, unauthorized activities, and her documented loyalty to Min.²⁷

Where Each Case Stands

The put option appeal is pending, with the 25.5 billion won payout frozen by HYBE’s court deposit. ADOR’s 33 billion won damages suit against Min, Danielle, and Danielle’s family member is in active hearings, with the next date set for July 2, 2026. The BELIFT LAB and Source Music defamation cases are temporarily suspended. Prosecutors have declined to indict the HYBE executives Min named in her criminal complaints, and no publicly reported final disposition has followed the prosecutorial review of HYBE’s breach-of-trust complaint against Min. In New York, the TAG PR lawsuit continues to raise questions about whether HYBE played any role in online campaigns against Min, a claim the company denies.

1
Korea Herald. Court Orders HYBE to Pay Min Hee-jin in Put Option Dispute
2
Music Business Worldwide. HYBE Posts $20M Court Deposit to Delay Min Hee-jin Payment
3
Billboard. HYBE Audit of NewJeans Label ADOR, Asks CEO Min Hee-jin to Step Down
4
Billboard. HYBE, ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and NewJeans Feud Timeline
5
NME. Court Rules in Favour of Min Hee-jin Injunction to Prevent HYBE Exercising Voting Rights
6
Music Business Worldwide. Min Hee-jin Resigns as HYBE Director as NewJeans Threatens to Walk Away From Label
7
Chosun Ilbo. Court Rules HYBE Must Pay Min Hee-jin for Put Option
8
Forbes. Former NewJeans EP Min Hee-jin Wins $18 Million Court Battle Against HYBE
9
Straits Times. South Korean Court Orders HYBE to Pay $22.3M to Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin
10
Music Business Worldwide. HYBE Ordered to Pay Min Hee-jin $17.6M in Shareholder Agreement Lawsuit
11
Aju Press. Seoul Central District Court Rules on Min Hee-jin Put Option
12
Korea Herald. Court Orders HYBE to Honor Shareholder Agreement
13
Chosun Ilbo. HYBE Files Appeal in Put Option Case
14
Forbes. Min Hee-jin Offers to Forgo $17.9M if HYBE Drops NewJeans Lawsuits
15
Korea Herald. Min Hee-jin Proposes Settlement to End HYBE Legal Conflict
16
Music Business Worldwide. Min Hee-jin Offers to Forgo $18M Payout if HYBE Drops All Lawsuits
17
Digital Music News. NewJeans, HYBE, Min Hee-jin Offer Rejection
18
Korea Herald. Min Hee-jin Cleared of Criminal Breach of Trust Charges
19
CNA Lifestyle. Min Hee-jin Cleared of Breach of Trust Charges
20
Korea Times. What Min Hee-jin’s Breach of Trust Clearance Means
21
Music Business Worldwide. South Korean Prosecutors Decline to Charge HYBE Executives Over Min Hee-jin’s Criminal Complaints
22
AllKPop. Min Hee-jin Lawsuits With Belift Lab and Source Music Temporarily Suspended
23
KBS World. ADOR Files Lawsuit Against Min Hee-jin, Danielle, and Family Member
24
Asia Economy. ADOR Damages Lawsuit Status Update
25
Maeil Business Newspaper. Min Hee-jin Named in US PR Firm Lawsuit
26
Music Business Worldwide. NewJeans Loses Contract Dispute as Seoul Court Rules in Favor of HYBE’s ADOR
27
The Independent. NewJeans Danielle Marsh ADOR Lawsuit, Contract Terminated