Seoul court orders HYBE to pay ex-ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin 25.5B won

A Seoul court has ruled in favor of former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin in relation to her put option issue (stock purchase claim right) with HYBE, ordering the entertainment label to pay her 25.5 billion won (approximately P1 billion). 

According to a report by Soompi, Presiding Judge Nam In Soo of the Civil Agreement Division 31 of the Seoul Central District Court ruled on Thursday that Min Hee Jin should receive the said amount from HYBE in the first trial of the agency's lawsuit against her. 

HYBE's lawsuit had sought confirmation of termination of the shareholders' agreement against Min Hee Jin and the latter's counterclaim seeking payment for stock purchase proceeds against the label. 

“The key issue in this case is identical to that of the preceding case. However, the plaintiff’s exercise of the so-called stock sale claim right (put option) constitutes a separate matter," the court stated. 

“The exercise of the put option results in the termination of the shareholders’ agreement. Therefore, such termination is permissible only in the event of a serious breach substantial enough to justify it. Accordingly, we do not accept HYBE’s claims arising from the exercise of the stock sale claim right." 

On this basis, the court recognized the validity of Min Hee Jin to exercise her put option rights. The court also ordered HYBE to pay 1.7 billion won (approximately P68 million) to former ADOR Vice President “A” and 1.4 billion won (approximately P56 million) to former ADOR Creative Director “B.”

Following the court's decision, HYBE issued a statement expressing its plans, including appealing the ruling. 

"We regret that our arguments were not sufficiently accepted,” HYBE said, adding, “After reviewing the written judgment, we plan to proceed with further legal steps, including an appeal.”

Since 2024, Min Hee Jin has been embroiled in lengthy legal battles with HYBE labels and its subsidiaries, which also include Source Music and BELIFT. 

According to The Korea Herald, Min Hee Jin was removed as CEO of ADOR in August 2024. This was after she was informed by HYBE in July 2024 that the label was terminating her shareholder agreement, which gives her the right to sell a percentage of her ADOR shares to HYBE, amounting to approximately 26 billion won. 

Following her dismissal, she revealed via a representative that the decision to remove her as ADOR CEO "was made unilaterally without her consent, which is a clear violation of the shareholder agreement.”

In November 2024, she resigned as NewJeans' internal director. 

Min Hee Jee launched her own entertainment company, Ooak (One Of A Kind), which completed its registration in October 2025. 

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA Integrated News