South Korean entertainment giant HYBE says it plans to appeal a decision by police not to file charges against Min Hee-Jin, the former head of HYBE label ADOR, the agency behind K-pop group NewJeans.<\/p>\n
“After more than a year of investigation, the police decided today not to forward either of HYBE’s complaints to prosecutors, having found no evidence of wrongdoing,” Min’s legal team said in a statement on Tuesday (July 15), as quoted<\/a> in the Korea Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n HYBE responded with a statement that it plans to file an appeal of that decision with the prosecution.<\/p>\n “There have been new developments made in the case after police investigations, such as the NewJeans members arguing that their contracts are invalid,” HYBE said in a press release, as quoted<\/a> at Korea JoongAng Daily<\/em>.<\/p>\n “We have handed in numerous pieces of new evidence to court in related suits. The court has made firm decisions against Min based on such evidence and the Seoul High Court even deemed that Min is ‘intentionally sabotaging the very basis of an exclusive contract.'”<\/p>\n In April 2024, HYBE launched an audit of Min<\/a> and other ADOR executives on suspicions that Min, who served as ADOR\u2019s CEO and as an internal director, had attempted to seize control of the HYBE subsidiary by bringing in potential outside investors. HYBE filed a complaint with police against Min, alleging breach of trust.<\/p>\n Min held a lengthy press conference in response to the allegations, denying any wrongdoing and suggesting that her 18% share of ADOR would have made it impossible for her to take control of the company. In July 2024, she filed defamation and disruption of business complaints with police against five HYBE executives.<\/p>\n In its statement on Tuesday, HYBE noted that police also declined to bring charges against the five executives.<\/p>\n \u201cThe investigation authorities stated that HYBE’s claims ‘are difficult to see as false information,’ that \u2018it pertains to a matter of public interest, so the intention to defame is not recognized,’ and that ‘the KakaoTalk conversations were obtained through lawful authority during the audit process\u2019,” HYBE said, as quoted by<\/a> Chosun Daily<\/em>.<\/p>\n “We therefore announce that we will fight this decision in an appeals process.”<\/p>\n The reference to KakaoTalk has to do with leaked conversations on the KakaoTalk app<\/a> in which Min appeared to disparage members of NewJeans, whom she called \u201cimmature kids.\u201d<\/p>\n Nonetheless, it appeared that NewJeans members largely sided with Min in her dispute with HYBE. Last November, following Min\u2019s removal as CEO<\/a> and resignation as an internal director<\/a> at the agency, NewJeans unilaterally declared their contract with ADOR null and void<\/a>, even changing their name to NJZ<\/a>.<\/p>\n That led to a legal dispute between the group and the agency, which ADOR won earlier this year when a court blocked the group<\/a> from pursuing independent commercial activities.<\/p>\n “We… we will fight this decision in an appeals process.”<\/p>\n HYBE<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The ongoing dispute with Min isn\u2019t the only legal drama swirling around HYBE, South Korea\u2019s largest K-pop agency famed for developing global hitmakers like BTS<\/strong> and ENHYPHEN<\/strong>.<\/p>\n News reports earlier this month indicated that investigators with the country\u2019s Securities and Futures Commission are preparing to recommend charges against HYBE\u2019s founder and Chairman, Bang Si-hyuk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n