On January 28, Min Hee-jin’s legal representative, attorney Kim Sun-woong of Law Firm Ziam, held a press conference at a location in Jongno, Seoul. Min Hee-jin did not attend the press conference. Attorney Kim Sun-woong explained that her absence was due to the psychological shock caused by sensitive matters involving NewJeans members’ families, stating that she was in no condition to speak publicly.
During the press conference, Kim Sun-woong revealed that Min Hee-jin was sued for 10 billion KRW in damages on December 30, 2025, accused of leading NewJeans tampering and inducing contract terminations. He explained that Min had remained silent because she believed matters with HYBE and ADOR were already resolved and that NewJeans were preparing to return. However, she was compelled to respond after ADOR pursued contract termination only against Danielle, raising fears of a de facto disbandment while drawing members’ families into legal disputes.
Kim stressed that the tampering allegations did not originate from Min Hee-jin but from a structure involving a NewJeans member’s family member and business figures allegedly tied to stock market manipulation, which he claimed HYBE executives were already aware of. He reiterated that the April 2024 conflict with HYBE concerned corporate governance, not NewJeans’ contracts, and denied Davolink Chairman Park Jung-gyu’s claims, arguing that media framing turned a shareholder dispute into a “NewJeans poaching” narrative, despite Min’s efforts to settle by even relinquishing her put option to enable the group’s return.
According to the timeline presented, negotiation channels were formed between June and July 2024 through introductions by members’ families. After Min Hee-jin was dismissed as ADOR CEO in August 2024, the same family member re-emerged, proposing negotiations with HYBE. During this process, connections were made with Park Jung-gyu, accompanied by messages and calls implying political influence and external pressure. Kim Sun-woong described these communications as a planned performance intended to deceive Min Hee-jin and create an illusion of influence.
He added that Min Hee-jin, distrusting this structure, directly met with HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang on September 28, 2024. During that meeting, she reportedly heard the names Terra Science and Davolink for the first time, a claim supported by an audio recording released at the press conference. According to Min Hee-jin’s side, Lee Jae-sang warned her not to meet those individuals.
Nevertheless, the following day, the NewJeans member’s uncle and Park Jung-gyu allegedly reconnected, continuing to reference international events, pressure on HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, and proposed deal structures. Min Hee-jin’s legal team stated that she later recognized the possibility that Terra Science and Davolink were linked to stock price manipulation schemes and that both she and NewJeans had been used as theme stocks. She then cut off all contact.
They further argued that rumors surrounding Davolink, stock price fluctuations, and changes in board composition indicated a broader attempt to use Min Hee-jin and NewJeans within a speculative market narrative, naming HYBE as the group that benefited most from the resulting situation. The legal team also claimed that HYBE executives and major shareholders were aware in advance that Min Hee-jin would inevitably meet Park Jung-gyu on September 30, 2024, raising suspicions that information was selectively leaked to media outlets and later used to solidify the tampering frame against her.
Attorney Kim Sun-woong stated that his suspicions deepened after hearing from NewJeans members’ parents that HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang had asked them to provide favorable testimony regarding tampering during a recent shareholder agreement lawsuit. As supporting evidence, Kim Sun-woong revealed a message allegedly sent by a NewJeans member’s mother, which read, I heard something shocking today. Lee Jae-sang’s side asked me to ask my older brother to say that Min Hee-jin tampered.
With the disclosure of alleged text messages, audio recordings, and internal timelines, Min Hee-jin’s legal team has intensified its claims that the NewJeans tampering controversy was shaped through external pressure and narrative framing rather than her actions. As lawsuits involving Min Hee-jin, HYBE, ADOR, and NewJeans members and their families continue, the newly revealed messages are expected to further fuel debate over corporate influence, family involvement, and the boundaries of label governance within the K-pop industry.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
You must be logged in to post a comment.