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The long battle between K-pop giant HYBE and NewJeans has taken an interesting turn after Min Hee-Jin, the creative mind behind the group, offered to give up around $18 million if the label drops all lawsuits against the group.
On Wednesday, February 25, at a press conference, Min shared that she would give up the court-ordered payment that HYBE has been told to pay, on condition that the agency does not pursue any lawsuits connected to the girl group.
Revealing her reason, she simply noted, "The reason is the NewJeans members."
Min said she "can no longer bear to watch" the group "torn apart" when the five members should be performing on stage together.
While sharing her offer, she also acknowledged how large the amount is and how it could be extra significant as she is starting her own label, OOAK Records.
What happened between Min Hee-jin and HYBE?
Min Hee-jin was a mentor for NewJeans and also worked as CEO of ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE.
Things went downhill in April 2024 when HYBE accused her of attempting to seize control of ADOR and break away from the company, a claim which Min denied.
She was removed from her position in August 2024, and in November, she attempted to exercise her contractual right that would allow her to see her 20 per cent stake in ADOR back to HYBE.
HYBE refused, leading the matter to court, and on February 12, 2026, the Seoul District Court ruled in Min's favour, ordering HYBE to pay her approximately 25.5 billion won.
HYBE appealed, and on the same day as the press conference, the court agreed to pause the payment while the appeal is heard.
One of the key cases Min is hoping HYBE drops is the damages lawsuit filed by ADOR in December 2025, which seeks around 43.1 billion won from ex-NewJeans member Danielle, a family member of Danielle's, and Min.
As per ADOR claims, Min and Danielle's family member played a significant role in the group's departure.
Moreover, as of now, all three members of NewJeans, Hanni, Hyein, and Haerin, have returned to ADOR, while Minji is reportedly still in discussion with the label.
