When K-pop Gets Legal: The NewJeans Controversy, Explained

In the highly controlled world of K-pop, disputes between artists and their management are rarely made public. However, the dispute between NewJeans and their parent label, HYBE, has become one of the most publicized legal battles in the industry’s history. What began as a rookie group that dominated global charts escalated into a saga of accusations, lawsuits, press conferences, and court rulings that has redefined artist autonomy and corporate governance in K-pop.

The Visionary: Min Hee-jin

Before the NewJeans-HYBE dispute made headlines, Min Hee-jin was already an established name in the music industry. She worked at SM Entertainment in 2002 as a graphic designer before eventually being promoted to creative director, where she oversaw the visual concepts and branding of groups such as Girls’ Generation, f(x), and EXO. Min’s style shifted away from the hyper-polished, idol image of the early 2000s and focused on a more narrative-driven and artistically experimental aesthetic.

In 2017, she was promoted to the Board of Directors at SM, but left the company at the end of 2018 due to burnout. In 2019, Min Hee-jin joined HYBE Corporation as Chief Brand Officer. In her new role, she oversaw the company’s massive rebranding from “Big Hit Entertainment” to “HYBE,” directing everything from the new logo to the interior design of the company’s new headquarters in Yongsan. In November 2021, HYBE established a new subsidiary label, ADOR (All Doors One Room), and assigned Min as its CEO. HYBE’s goal for ADOR was to create a label that emphasized creativity while operating with high autonomy. Min’s first assignment in her new role was to create HYBE’s first girl group.

The Monster Rookies: NewJeans

Min’s vision for HYBE’s new girl group was to counter the “girl crush” that was common in 4th-gen groups. Instead of the typical “rebel/bad girl” imagery and heavy EDM-inspired “noise music”, she focused on a youthful “girl next door” concept that would make the group seem more approachable and relatable. She leaned heavily into late 90s and early 2000s aesthetics, designing everything from the group’s iconic rabbit mascot to their signature “unfiltered” styling, which featured long dark hair and natural makeup.

Instead of using teasers or promotions, Min took an unconventional approach in NewJeans’s debut by dropping a surprise release of the music video for their single “Attention” on July 22, 2022. Her strategy proved successful as the music video went viral, gaining 1.3 million views in under 24 hours on YouTube. The group’s Y2K-influenced style resonated with global audiences who desired a natural, minimalist alternative to the “girl crush” tropes that had dominated the industry for years.

Following the viral success of their debut single, on August 1, NewJeans released their self-titled debut EP, NewJeans. The mini-album was widely praised for its easy-listening tracks that blended 1990s and 2000s R&B with modern pop elements. The EP sold over 262,800 copies on its first day, setting a new record for the highest first-day sales for a K-pop girl group debut at that time. The three title tracks, “Attention, “Hype Boy,” and “Cookie,” jumped to the top spots on South Korean charts like Melon and Genie, while “Attention” became the first-ever K-pop debut song to enter Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs USA chart.

When their pre-release single “Ditto” was released in late 2022, NewJeans went from monster rookies to a global sensation. The track became the longest-running #1 song on the Circle Digital Chart, spending a record-breaking 13 weeks at the top. They also became the fastest K-pop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100, with “Ditto” peaking at #96 and breaking into the international market at #8 on the Billboard Global 200. In January 2023, NewJeans followed up the success of “Ditto” with their first single album, OMG. The title track reached #74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for six consecutive weeks. This achievement made NewJeans the fastest K-pop act to have multiple entries on the charts. “OMG” also became a viral sensation that sparked dance challenges everywhere on TikTok.

The release of their second EP, Get Up, in July 2023 cemented their status as global pop stars. The EP debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. They became the first K-pop girl group to chart three songs—”Super Shy,” “ETA,” and “Cool With You”—on the Hot 100 simultaneously. By late 2023, the “NewJeans Effect” was inescapable. Major labels began pivoting from the high-octane, aggressive EDM and trap sound in favor of the minimalist, easy-listening R&B that the group had popularized. Beyond the charts, NewJeans became the faces of the resurging Y2K fashion. Butterfly clips, baggy cargo pants, and arm warmers became staples in every Gen Z closet. By mid-2023, NewJeans achieved a feat never before seen so early in a K-pop group’s career, in which every member held an individual ambassadorship with a top-tier global luxury house.

In the 2023 award season, NewJeans achieved a historic “Grand Slam” at major ceremonies, including the MAMA Awards, Melon Music Awards, and Golden Disc Awards, winning Song of the Year for “Ditto” and Artist of the Year. Within just 18 months of their debut, the group achieved more than most veteran acts accomplish in a decade, placing them on a trajectory to become one of the most influential K-pop acts of their generation. However, their momentum was interrupted when a corporate rift between ADOR and HYBE erupted, leaving the group’s future in question.

HYBE vs. ADOR

On April 22, 2024, HYBE Corporation conducted an internal audit of ADOR under suspicion that Min Hee-jin was attempting to seize management rights of ADOR from HYBE. Within 72 hours, HYBE’s audit team combed through seized data and discovered a document titled “Project 1945.” The file outlined a strategy to pressure HYBE into selling its 80% stake in ADOR, effectively “liberating” the sub-label. Logs of meetings between ADOR executives and representatives from global sovereign wealth funds were also reportedly found, suggesting that Min had been actively seeking the capital necessary to buy out HYBE’s interest.

HYBE also released an interim report claiming Min was being coached by a shaman on major business decisions. HYBE alleged that she consulted the shaman on NewJeans’ debut lineup and the military enlistment of BTS, with the shaman stating it would be “advantageous” for Min if the superstar group were inactive. In an emergency press conference on April 25, 2024, Min vehemently denied these claims, stating the shaman was a “personal friend” she consulted for emotional support amid the immense stress of working under HYBE.

She countered that the audit was not about “management rights” but was retaliation for a whistleblower email she had sent on April 16, 2024. In the email, she accused HYBE’s other subsidiary, Belift Lab, of plagiarizing NewJeans for their new girl group, ILLIT. Min accused ILLIT of being a “NewJeans copycat”, alleging they had systematically imitated the group’s music, choreography, styling, and visual concept. She revealed that she had sent multiple internal complaints regarding these similarities, asserting that HYBE’s leadership had ignored her concerns to protect the debut of the new group. She argued that by allowing such blatant imitation within its own multi-label system, HYBE was undermining the brand value of NewJeans and destroying the creative diversity it had promised to uphold.

She vented her frustrations about the “patriarchal” corporate culture at HYBE, framing herself as a creative “mother” protecting her “children.” To illustrate HYBE’s competitive mindset and toxic work culture, she shared KakaoTalk messages from HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk that included a message where he jokingly asked if she could “step on aespa.”

After months of escalating disputes and public scrutiny, ADOR officially removed Min Hee-jin from her position as CEO on August 27, 2024. While HYBE replaced her with HYBE’s Chief HR Officer, Kim Ju-young, they publicly offered that Min could remain at the label as internal director and continue as the producer for NewJeans. However, Min rejected the proposal because the contract duration was reportedly only for two months (until November 1, 2024), and it contained “toxic” clauses that allowed ADOR to terminate her at their own discretion. She described the terms as a “unilateral and unreasonable” trick designed to appear HYBE was cooperating while actually stripping her of any real creative or legal authority.

NewJeans Speak Out

On September 11, 2024, NewJeans launched a surprise, unauthorized YouTube livestream titled “What NewJeans Want to Say.” All five members stated they were speaking out without the label’s permission because they felt their futures were being decided by “adults” without their input. They expressed a profound lack of trust in the “new ADOR” management and issued an ultimatum: reinstate Min Hee-jin as CEO by September 25.

During the stream, Hanni shared a distressing account of workplace harassment within the HYBE building. She described an encounter where she greeted a group from another subsidiary, only to overhear their manager tell the other artists to “ignore her” right in front of her. Hanni argued that this was symptomatic of a larger culture of “subtle bullying” within the company. When she reported the incident to ADOR’s new CEO, Kim Ju-young, she was told there was no evidence as the CCTV footage had expired. Hanni expressed that she felt labeled as a liar and thought the company was trying to cover up the mistreatment.

On October 15, 2024, Hanni tearfully testified as a reference witness before the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, marking the first time in South Korean history that a K-pop idol appeared at a parliamentary audit to address workplace harassment. She expressed that the “ignore her” incident was not an isolated event. She detailed how high-ranking executives at HYBE would not acknowledge the members’ greetings in the hallways. Hanni directly challenged Kim Ju-young’s claim that there was no evidence. She revealed that when she finally saw the CCTV footage, it was only an 8-second clip that showed only the initial greeting, while the rest of the footage following the encounter had reportedly been deleted. Despite her testimony, the Ministry of Employment and Labor ruled that idols were not legally classified as “workers” under the current Labor Standards Act because they were considered independent contractors rather than employees, which limited the protections afforded to them under the law.

When HYBE refused to meet their ultimatum on September 25, NewJeans and their legal team spent October building a case of “breach of trust” against their former company. On November 28, 2024, with only a few hours’ notice, all five members held a surprise emergency press conference at a community center in Seoul. At 8:30 PM, just hours before their 14-day legal notice was set to expire, they announced they were unilaterally terminating their exclusive contracts with ADOR, effective at midnight on November 29. The members argued that HYBE/ADOR had failed to protect their artists, rendering the contracts void. They firmly stated they had no intention of paying the estimated 450 billion to 600 billion KRW ($300M–$450M) penalty fee, insisting it was the company, not the artists, that was responsible for the breach.

NewJeans vs. ADOR

In January 2025, ADOR filed for a provisional injunction to block the members from engaging in any independent entertainment or advertising activities. The company argued the members had no legal grounds for a unilateral termination, asserting that “loss of trust” is a subjective sentiment rather than a material breach of contract. While the injunction was pending, NewJeans attempted to forge a path forward outside of HYBE’s control. On February 7, 2025, the group announced a rebrand, renaming the group as NJZ. They launched a new independent YouTube channel and changed their social media handles to @njz_official. They stated this rebirth was necessary to protect their artistic identity while their legal status remained in limbo.

On March 21, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of HYBE/ADOR, stripping the members of their rights to pursue independent activities. Despite the ruling, NJZ defied the court and chose to perform under their new name at ComplexCon Hong Kong on March 23. They premiered a new track titled “PIT STOP” and announced they will be taking an indefinite hiatus in respect to the March 21 ruling.

On October 30, 2025, the legal saga finally came to a conclusion with the Seoul Central District Court ruling in favor of ADOR/HYBE. The court ruled that their exclusive contracts signed in 2022 will remain valid until 2029. While the law allows termination if trust is “irreparably broken,” the court found that NewJeans failed to provide enough evidence that ADOR was responsible for the breakdown. The court also upheld the company’s request for indirect compulsory enforcement, meaning each member would be fined 1 billion KRW (~ $700,000) per violation for every unapproved independent activity, including their appearance at ComplexCon.

Will NewJeans Return?

On November 12, 2025, Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein officially announced their return to ADOR, stating they respected the court’s ruling and planned to resume their activities within the agency. Currently, Minji is in ongoing discussions regarding her return to the group. While she expressed a desire to return to the group in late 2025, a final agreement has not been reached yet. While Danielle also expressed interest in returning, ADOR terminated her contract on December 29, 2025. In an official statement, the label stated Danielle engaged in unauthorized independent entertainment activities and signed conflicting agreements without ADOR’s consent. ADOR is also pursuing legal action against Danielle’s mother and former CEO Min Hee-jin, alleging they incited the dispute and delayed the group’s return by feeding them “distorted and biased information”. It also claims they persuaded Danielle to pursue independent work and sign third-party agreements despite the October court ruling. ADOR is seeking approximately 43.1 billion KRW (~$31 million) in penalty fees.

As for Min Hee-jin, she emerged victorious in her legal battle against HYBE regarding her shareholder agreement and her stock purchase rights. In a ruling on February 12, 2026, the Seoul Central District Court ordered the company to pay $25.5 billion KRW (~$18-19 million USD), dismissing claims that she breached her contract by attempting to seize control of ADOR. The judge ruled that while she may have explored ways to assert control, she did not commit any material breach of contract. After her departure from HYBE on October 16, 2025, she launched her new label, OOAK (One Of A Kind) Records, and plans to debut a new boy group. However, in a press conference on February 25, 2026, Min offered to forgo her entire $18 million payout in exchange for a “peace treaty” with HYBE, demanding they drop all lawsuits against her, the NewJeans members, and their families.