NewJeans members express distress over label’s CEO change

NewJeans. Image: ADOR via The Korea Herald

Six days after the dismissal of Min Hee-jin as CEO of their label, ADOR, members of the K-pop girl group NewJeans broke their silence on the issue, expressing concerns and emotional distress.

“Since the CEO was dismissed, it’s been difficult in many ways and we have a lot of concerns. For a while, I was in a state of mental breakdown and very anxious,” member Danielle was quoted as saying on “Phoning,” a dedicated mobile app for the group’s fans, on Monday by industry sources.

Min was removed from her CEO role by the company’s board of directors last Tuesday following a monthslong conflict with the label’s parent company HYBE over management control of the sublabel.

While ADOR said Min would remain on the board and continue producing for NewJeans, she has refused to sign a work contract to stay on as producer for including “toxic clauses.”

Fellow member Minji echoed the sentiment, saying, “I feel so sorry that we have to go through this unnecessary trouble, and I felt so frustrated that I couldn’t solve anything.”

She added that even as she was writing, nothing had been properly resolved.

Hanni posted a 3-minute video of herself singing a self-composed song while playing guitar on social media.

💖🩵💖✨ pic.twitter.com/SD0BYljXs0

— NewJeans (@NewJeans_twt) September 2, 2024

The replacement came about four months after the conflict between Min and Hybe surfaced in April, when Hybe accused her of plotting to seize control of her label and take the K-pop quintet with her. She has denied the allegations.