Industry insiders are predicting a major shift in the K-pop landscape as veteran producer and former ADOR CEO Min Hee‑jin prepares to launch a new girl group under her newly established label, ooak.
While speculation initially suggested that Min Hee‑jin might recruit the popular girl group NewJeans to her new company, most experts now believe this is highly unlikely due to the enormous financial penalties involved.
After completing the legal registration of her new entertainment entity, ooak, Min Hee‑jin’s next steps have attracted significant attention. Rumors circulated that she could bring NewJeans under her management, but industry sources quickly dismissed the possibility.
According to messages leaked on KakaoTalk last year, if NewJeans were to leave ADOR, the estimated compensation for breach of contract would range between 450 to 620 billion won, equivalent to roughly 360 to 500 million USD. Even considering that the group has been mostly inactive for over a year, the penalty is still believed to be around 200 to 300 billion won (160 to 240 million USD). Given that ADOR’s profit in 2023—the peak of NewJeans’ popularity—was only about 33.5 billion won (25 to 30 million USD), the cost of acquiring the group would far outweigh potential returns.
Financial analysts and investors have expressed doubts about the feasibility of such a move. One representative remarked, “Considering the scale of reimbursement and risks associated with intellectual property, the likelihood of recovering the investment is extremely low. No investor would be willing to take such a gamble.” This reality makes it improbable that any investor would fund an effort to transfer NewJeans to Min Hee‑jin’s new label, despite the group’s massive global popularity.
As a result, speculation has shifted to Min Hee‑jin’s plans to launch a completely new group through ooak. Reports suggest that she is actively seeking both domestic and international investment for this debut project, signaling her intention to build a fresh idol group from the ground up. This strategy allows her to retain creative freedom and avoid the enormous financial and legal risks associated with poaching NewJeans from ADOR.
This development highlights the high-stakes nature of K-pop contracts and the financial pressures behind managing top-tier idol groups. NewJeans’ situation underscores how restrictive contracts can be, even for artists at the pinnacle of their careers. At the same time, Min Hee‑jin’s move to establish ooak and develop a new group demonstrates the agility and strategic foresight that some producers possess in navigating the competitive entertainment industry.
While fans may hope for a reunion of NewJeans under Min Hee‑jin’s guidance, the combination of financial penalties and legal constraints makes this scenario unlikely in the near term.
Sources: Netizenbuzz
You must be logged in to post a comment.