During a live broadcast on the YouTube channel “Genre Only” on December 4, Min Hee-jin took questions regarding her relationship with NewJeans’s families and the ongoing tensions with HYBE.

When a viewer asked whether she still speaks with NewJeans’ parents, Min Hee-jin immediately replied: “I can’t. Absolutely not.”

She explained that any gesture, even one with “no wrongdoing whatsoever,” can easily spark manufactured controversy.

Min Hee-jin shared: “Even if I do nothing wrong, suddenly you see articles like, ‘Why does Min Hee-jin go to the bathroom 10 times?’ This is why I’ve lived so cautiously.”

A journalist on the show disputed that such headlines existed, but Min Hee-jin insisted that similar articles routinely appear in her monitoring reports.

She also pointed to a recent article about an audition which she emphasized was not an official audition for her new label as an example of how narratives get distorted.

“They wrote, ‘Min Hee-jin distances herself from NewJeans,’ even though I never announced anything. Articles come before I even make a public statement. How is that different from ‘Why did Min Hee-jin go to the bathroom 10 times?’”

Min Hee-jin said she deliberately avoids any discussion about NewJeans’ families because she believes the media will weaponize her words: “I don’t want to talk about it. I can’t. If I say anything, they’ll pull out a negative headline and use it to attack me, the members, and the parents. I have no choice but to be careful.”

Min Hee-jin expressed frustration that she is the only party expected to respond publicly: “Why am I the only one who has to explain everything? HYBE has so many issues, but they stay silent and nothing gets reported. Is this really how the world should work? Do people think they can hit me freely because I don’t have backing?”

The host noted that public opinion began to turn after NewJeans members spoke at the 2024 press conference and during the National Assembly hearing: “Earlier last year, the public sentiment toward you was very positive. But when the members spoke at the press conference and at the National Assembly, many found it uncomfortable. Whether they said that on their own or after discussing it, it wasn’t a good choice, and it influenced how the public saw you.”

The ongoing legal conflict among Min Hee-jin, ADOR, and HYBE continues to dominate Korea’s entertainment news, with more developments expected.

Sources: 네이트 뉴스