As NewJeans Members Were Originally Source Music’s Trainees, Are Min Hee-jin’s Claims Reasonable?

HYBE announced on April 22nd that it has started an audit of the management board of ADOR, the agency of NewJeans. ADOR is a label established in 2021 under HYBE, and former SM creative director Min Hee-jin is serving as its CEO. Min Hee-jin moved to HYBE in 2019, and after becoming the CEO of ADOR in 2021, she launched NewJeans in 2022.

Since their debut, NewJeans has walked on a flower road and is now considered one of the representative girl groups of KPOP’s fourth generation. It has captured the hearts of not only domestic fans but also overseas fans. However, amid their growing popularity, the management board of ADOR, including Min Hee-jin, was accused of attempting to take over the label’s management control.

In response, Min Hee-jin raised the issue of “ILLIT copying NewJeans.” She claimed that the concept of NewJeans is unique to NewJeans, that it was created by Min Hee-jin, and that ILLIT copied it. However, netizens are doubting Min Hee-jin’s claims.

Attention is being paid to the fact that most of the members of NewJeans were Source Music (another label under HYBE) trainees, while only one member was chosen by Min Hee-jin herself. In particular, Minji even appeared on the global audition poster of BigHit Music and Source Music in 2019. As such, ADOR and Min Hee-jin established NewJeans with the support of HYBE. As a result, Min Hee-jin’s accusations of ILLIT copying NewJeans and drawing a line between NewJeans and HYBE is making netizens question.

Source: daum