HYBE Labels and ADOR recently announced some shocking news, revealing that renowned creative director Min Hee Jin (민희진) will no longer hold the position of ADOR’s CEO. The news follows the ongoing feud between the woman behind NewJeans (뉴진스) and the South Korean entertainment company.
ADOR announced the news via a statement, saying that Min Hee Jin will step down as CEO of the agency, which currently houses K-pop sensation NewJeans. The new ADOR CEO will be Ju Young Kim (김주영), who will work on stabilising the agency’s internal organisation. As for Min Hee Jin’s new position in the company, she will remain an internal director and continue to oversee NewJean’s production, which she has done since the group’s formation.
However, shortly after the statement, Min Hee Jin revealed that she didn’t voluntarily step down from her position but instead was unfairly removed by HYBE. Her legal team also said they’re looking to take legal action against the dismissal, calling it a clear violation of the shareholder agreement. It’s worth noting that Min Hee Jin has been in the limelight for a few months now following her conflict with the top management of HYBE, which includes CEO Bang Si-Hyuk (방시혁).
Regardless of the circumstances of Min Hee Jin’s dismissal, many fans are more concerned about the future of NewJeans. While ADOR assured fans that the former CEO still oversee the group’s production as creative director, many voiced doubts, saying this shift in management will still impact NewJean’s future. As the public largely credits the quintet’s success to the 45-year-old, many fans said Min Hee Jin not having creative freedom could negatively impact NewJeans.
One of the biggest concerns was NewJean’s unique creative direction. Some said Min Hee Jin not being in complete control means the group’s music and concept will likely diminish in quality as it may face external influences. Others are worried about ADOR potentially revising NewJeans’ physical releases to focus on selling more albums rather than catering to the fans.
Unfortunately, there’s no telling how this shift in management will affect NewJeans until the group has a new release – which is still on the fence, given ADOR’s current situation. What are your thoughts on this?
