sabiz

In September of last year, it was revealed that Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR, had an enigmatic conversation on Telegram with A, the uncle of NewJeans member Hani, regarding the Ministry of Employment and Labor. This conversation coincided with a complaint filed by a fan about workplace harassment that Hani allegedly faced, which was submitted to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

At the time, Min Hee-jin was serving as an executive director at ADOR, and concerns have been raised that she may have shared or discussed potentially problematic issues related to the company with the family member of one of her artists, which could imply a violation of her exclusive contract duties. Such actions could be seen as contradicting her fiduciary duties as an executive.

According to Telegram messages obtained by Chosun Biz on the 16th, on September 14, 2024, A wrote to Min Hee-jin, “The Ministry of Employment and Labor has started. Please give me a call.” Min Hee-jin replied, “I am receiving an IV drip right now. I will call you in the afternoon.”

Just two days earlier, on September 12, B, a self-identified NewJeans fan, had submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (Seoul Western District Labor Office) urging an investigation into the bullying accusations within HYBE and to severely punish any wrongdoers. Other fans of NewJeans are also confirmed to have collectively filed complaints in mid-September.

The controversy began when Hani claimed during a YouTube live broadcast on September 11 that a manager had told her to “ignore” other celebrities and managers in the hallway of the HYBE building.

The incident escalated, and in October, Hani appeared as a witness at a National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee audit, where she testified that she had been told by another team’s manager to “pretend you didn’t see it,” noting that such incidents were not isolated. Some reports suggested that Min Hee-jin had prior knowledge of Hani’s testimony and may have even encouraged it.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor closed the case in November, stating that Hani was not considered an employee under the Labor Standards Act and that no legal violations were found.

The Telegram conversation can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, A could have been asking Min Hee-jin if any action had been taken regarding the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Alternatively, A may have been reporting to Min Hee-jin that something related to the Ministry had been initiated. Either interpretation suggests that Min Hee-jin may have had prior knowledge of the complaint and related activities, raising suspicion about possible involvement.

In particular, this period coincides with reports that A had connected Min Hee-jin with Park Jeong-gyu, the chairman of the external investor DaboLink. It is known that Min Hee-jin discussed securing a 5 billion KRW investment and the possibility of bringing NewJeans under DaboLink. A had also been nominated for a position as an internal director at DaboLink in November.

Given these connections, some speculate that Min Hee-jin and A may have discussed using the Ministry of Employment and Labor complaint as a means to facilitate a transition from HYBE and ADOR, potentially enabling their move to DaboLink.

An anonymous entertainment industry insider commented, “It’s difficult to definitively confirm from just the Telegram conversation whether Min Hee-jin or A directly took any specific actions against the Ministry of Employment and Labor. However, discussing a complaint that could potentially harm the company with the artist’s family member could be grounds for a breach of the exclusive contract.”

In response, Min Hee-jin denied any involvement, stating, “I was contacted suddenly by A on that day, and the conversation shows that I was not the one initiating the discussion. I don’t even know any officials at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and I never asked or instructed anything. This is nothing but speculative fiction.”