"The Reason for Her Subtle Smile Then"… Lawyer Min Hee-jin Shares Reflections After the Lawsuit

Dismissal of Two Hive Internal Directors
Min Hee-jin Holds Press Conference Again After About a Month

Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, expressed her thoughts through her legal representative on the acceptance of her injunction application.

Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, is holding a press conference related to the ADOR extraordinary general meeting of shareholders at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 31st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Attorney Lee Sook-mi (Sejong Law Firm) posted on Facebook on the 31st a brief message saying, "The reason for the subtle smile is because I knew we would win," along with a photo taken during Min's press conference. In the photo, Attorney Lee is smiling beside Min, who is expressing her grievances.

The photo was taken during Min's emergency press conference held on the 25th of last month. On that day, Min raised her voice, showing tears, denying the allegations of management rights takeover claimed by HYBE, stating, "There was no intention to seize management rights, and it is unrelated to breach of trust charges." She also claimed that her private messages were maliciously edited and did not hesitate to use strong language. Min's lawyers comforted her by patting her back or gesturing to calm her down as she struggled to hold back her emotions or shed tears.

The scene during Min's urgent press conference held on the 25th of last month. Lawyer Lee Suk-mi is on the right. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

On the same day, HYBE held an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and dismissed two inside directors other than Min. At that meeting, three new inside directors recommended by HYBE were appointed. The injunction application filed by Min was targeted only at herself, and since HYBE holds 80% of ADOR's shares, the dismissal of two of Min's close associates was an expected step. Min's side stated the day before, "As there is no reason to dismiss Min as a director, there is also no reason to dismiss the two inside directors from Min's side," adding, "If HYBE dismisses these directors, it would be disregarding the court's decision and dismissing them without just cause." Ultimately, Min faced the uncomfortable situation of having to work alongside three inside directors from HYBE who opposed her.

Meanwhile, on the 31st, Min held a press conference at the Press Center related to the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders for the first time in about a month. Appearing in bright-colored clothing and with neatly tied hair, Min showed a noticeably brighter expression and a relaxed smile. She explained the reason for holding the press conference, saying, "There are several reasons for holding today's press conference, but first, I thought it would be good to share a little about our situation and my thoughts." She continued, "It feels like about a month has passed since the last press conference, and it has been a difficult time in my life that I hope never happens again. Anyway, there are so many people I am very grateful to, and I want to express my thanks to them." She then mentioned Bernies (NewJeans' official fan club name), the court, and others who supported them, showing signs of tearing up.

Min also expressed a desire to find a good compromise with HYBE. She said, "Honestly, even while fighting, I don't really know who this dispute is for or what we are trying to gain. Isn't it tiring to blame and slander someone? In fact, the causal relationships or facts cannot be well expressed in just a few words." She added, "But there is no need to discuss that publicly. I hope everyone chooses a better direction by thinking about what is more practical in principle."