The narrative that former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin personally discovered and cast the members of NewJeans is now being called into question, as Source Music has directly refuted her long-held claim during an ongoing lawsuit.
On November 7, during the fourth hearing of the damages lawsuit at the Seoul Western District Court, Source Music stated, “The party responsible for discovering and signing the NewJeans members as trainees was Source Music.” The label also submitted video evidence documenting the casting and trainee contract process for each member.
In one video, Haerin’s mother confirmed, “A Source Music casting manager came all the way to Anyang to make the offer,” establishing that Haerin joined the company through the label’s direct street casting and meetings. Similarly, Danielle, who was previously a trainee at another agency, reportedly joined Source Music after her manager transferred companies.
Source Music went on to specify that Minji was already scouted by Source Music before Min Hee Jin joined HYBE, while Hanni was selected through a joint HYBE–Source Music audition. Hyein, meanwhile, was said to have been recruited personally by the then-CEO of Source Music after direct discussions with her parents.
These statements indicate that the final lineup of NewJeans was formed primarily from Source Music’s existing trainee pool, rather than through external scouting led by Min Hee Jin. This stands in direct contradiction to Min’s repeated claims that she personally found, selected, and produced the group herself.
Min Hee Jin has consistently portrayed herself as the “true creator” of NewJeans, emphasizing her leadership in conceptual planning and branding. However, the newly presented evidence outlining the members’ recruitment routes significantly weakens the foundation of her “personally discovered” narrative.
Industry analysts suggest that Min’s portrayal of herself as having personally assembled NewJeans may have been an interpretive expansion of her producer role into the realm of member recruitment. With the court now presented with concrete proof that Source Music led the actual scouting and signing process, Min’s version of events could lose credibility.
The revelation is expected to have a meaningful impact on the ongoing legal dispute over NewJeans’ management and exclusive contracts, potentially redefining how much creative and managerial ownership Min Hee Jin can claim over the group’s formation.
Sources: Daum
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