Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and girl group NewJeans are seen in this composite photo provided by Yonhap News TV. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — Fans of NewJeans have called on Hybe and its sublabel ADOR that manages the popular girl group to reinstate Min Hee-jin as CEO, after her sudden removal from the role sparked concern among supporters.
In an open letter, the 1,445 self-identified fans of NewJeans expressed their worries about how the management shakeup could impact the group’s future, according to music industry sources.
Min, who served as ADOR’s CEO since its inception, was removed from her position on Thursday as part of a decision by the ADOR board to separate management responsibilities from music production.
However, Min instantly contested the decision, calling it “unilateral” and a breach of her “shareholders’ agreement” with Hybe, which guarantees her five-year term as CEO until November 2026.
The letter, addressed to ADOR’s new CEO Kim Ju-young and three other board members — Lee Kyung-jun, Lee Do-kyung and Kim Hak-ja — as well as Lee Jae-sang, the newly appointed CEO of Hybe, demanded Min’s term as CEO be guaranteed until November 2026 under the agreement, according to the sources.
It emphasized Min’s key role in the rapid success of the K-pop quintet, which debuted in 2022.
The fans credited the synergy between management and production under Min’s leadership for the group’s achievements.
“We believe that the success NewJeans has achieved in such a short period was made possible through the close synergy between management and production, and this has been proven by the results,” the letter read. “We are concerned that the personnel and other systems of ADOR, which have been focused on supporting NewJeans’ growth since its debut, may be altered or damaged.”
Fans also said they cannot understand the appointment of Kim Ju-young, the chief human resources officer of Hybe, with no experience in the entertainment industry, as Min’s replacement, especially at a crucial time for the group’s further success.
The leadership change came about four months after the conflict between Min and Hybe surfaced in April as the latter accused her of plotting to seize control of her label and take NewJeans with her. She has denied the allegations.
Following an unsuccessful attempt to remove her from the CEO position through a shareholders’ meeting in May due to a court injunction against the plan, Hybe recently notified Min of the termination of the shareholders’ agreement and filed a lawsuit to confirm its termination.
Hybe and Min currently are the largest and second-largest shareholders of ADOR, holding 80 percent and 18 percent of its shares, respectively.
(Yonhap)
