Explosive Chats Leak Showing Min Hee Jin Allegedly Targeting HYBE Artists

Min Hee Jin chat targeted HYBE artists flaws.
Court rules NewJeans contracts are still valid.
NewJeans to appeal the court's decision now.

A series of explosive, private chat messages allegedly sent by Min Hee Jin during her intense power struggle with HYBE over the management of NewJeans and ADOR have been made public, casting a stark new light on the tactics used behind the scenes. These revelations come directly from official court documents, adding a layer of legal credibility to the scandal and painting a complex picture of corporate warfare. 

The content of these chats goes far beyond simple corporate strategy, revealing a deliberate campaign to unearth damaging information. So, what exactly did these messages say, and what do they mean for the future of everyone involved? Let's dive in.

The Artist Flaw Investigation, Min Hee Jin's Alleged Slack Directives

The heart of the controversy lies in a series of conversations that allegedly took place on Slack between Min Hee Jin, then CEO of ADOR, and a subordinate. 

In these chats, Min is accused of explicitly instructing the employee to conduct a deep and targeted investigation into the personal and professional lives of popular artists under the HYBE umbrella. The primary tool for this digging was to be Slack, HYBE's internal corporate messaging platform, which retains a comprehensive history of all conversations.

The court documents quote Min Hee Jin's directives with startling clarity. She tasked the employee with a specific mission.

"Find anything that could be used to file a lawsuit, whether it is business interference, Fair Trade Commission violations, breaches of commercial law, or embezzlement. Look for all available evidence," she allegedly chat. 

She emphasized the importance of this task, adding, "You only need to do this. The more you find, the better."

Furthermore, in a follow-up message that highlights the deliberate nature of the search.

"You have found that much on Slack, so whether it is XX or XX or XX, there must be more. You cannot erase Slack history, after all," she pointed out.

This indicates she was not only aware of the platform's unerasable nature but was actively leveraging it as a resource to build a case. The court ruled that these messages, submitted as evidence, were part of Min Hee Jin's "preliminary efforts to create negative public attention against HYBE." 

Essentially, the plan was to "stir up heat" by collecting any potential "artist flaws" or corporate missteps that could be weaponized in the court of public opinion and in a legal battle against her parent company.

Was Min Hee Jin the Main Force Behind NewJeans's Downfall?

While Min Hee Jin was allegedly fighting HYBE from within, the group at the center of this storm, NewJeans, has suffered a significant legal defeat. In a ruling on October 30, the Seoul Central District Court confirmed that the group's exclusive contracts with ADOR and, by extension, HYBE, are legally binding and will remain in effect until 2029. This was a massive blow to the members' attempt to break free from the company. Adding a devastating layer to this loss, a detailed report from Dispatch posits that Min Hee Jin herself is the "primary culprit" in the group's current predicament.

According to Dispatch's analysis of the court's findings, Min Hee Jin's strategy was multi-faceted and ultimately put NewJeans in an impossible position. The report outlines a staggering fifteen points, but several key findings stand out. 

It claims that Min Hee Jin initiated a public opinion campaign long before the legal battle became public, with the intention of making NewJeans appear independent from HYBE and framing the parent company as having treated the group unfairly. This involved allegedly orchestrating situations, such as reconstructing an event where member Hanni was supposedly "ignored" by a manager from the rival group ILLIT, to create a narrative of aggression and victimization. 

Most damningly, the court suggests that the very reasons NewJeans cited for ADOR's breach of obligation were, in fact, the "result of Min Hee Jin’s prior efforts to examine materials between HYBE, the plaintiff, and the defendants. She identified elements necessary to generate negative sentiment toward HYBE and to support litigation." 

In simpler terms, the grievances the members had against their agency were potentially manufactured or amplified by their own CEO as ammunition in her war with HYBE. Furthermore, Dispatch reports that Min was actively seeking investors to acquire ADOR, an action the court saw as not being for the protection of NewJeans. 

But despite the clear court loss, reports indicate that NewJeans is not giving up and plans to appeal the decision, setting the stage for the next chapter in this ongoing corporate and legal drama.

Source: Allkpop, Koreaboo, Dispatch, KpopChart, Sports Donga, Sports Today