Ex-ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin rejects producing NewJeans; HYBE keeps door open

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin speaks to reporters while leaving Yongsan Police Station in Seoul on July 9, following questioning over her alleged breach of trust. (Newsis)

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of HYBE-owned label ADOR, has rejected the company’s offer to continue as the producer of NewJeans during the remaining two months of her contract.

On Friday, Min, through her public relations agency Macoll Consulting Group, released a statement saying, “HYBE’s announcement that Min would continue to work with NewJeans, as reported on Tuesday, was never agreed upon.”

Min was offered a business delegation agreement to produce NewJeans from Aug. 27 to Nov. 1.

“ADOR’s board of directors demanded that this unreasonable contract be signed by today, the 30th,” the consulting group added. “However, former CEO Min Hee-jin has determined that she cannot sign the contract.”

“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,” Min’s agency said.

Min claimed that the proposed contract contains “harmful” clauses not found in other such contracts with both companies.

She also stated that the contract term could be shortened at the discretion of ADOR, or effectively HYBE, allowing them to terminate her even before the two-month contract expires.

The former ADOR CEO also highlighted that the two-month contract included a clause stipulating a non-compete period of one year that is six times longer than its two-month duration.

NewJeans. Image: ADOR via The Korea Herald

However, HYBE refuted Min’s claims, contending that ADOR offered her the role of NewJeans’ producer for the remainder of her contract, which spans two months and six days.

Hybe argued that Min deliberately emphasized the “two months period” to make it appear as though Ador proposed an unusually short contract.

“Her contract period as an internal director at ADOR ends in two months. We offered her that amount of time (two months) because her contract expires afterward,” a HYBE official explained Friday.

Min said she was offered a two-month work contract as a “producer” not an “internal director.”

The official also addressed the noncompete clause, saying Min’s characterization was misleading.

“It is the industry norm for companies to enforce a one-year noncompete clause,” an official said. “For executives, contracts are renewed annually, and they typically include a one-year noncompete clause after resignation.”

Despite Min’s rejection of the offer, HYBE has left the door open.

“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 said, adding: “However, that outcome would suggest she did all this for financial gain in the end.”