Min Heejin: "Director Shin's Separate Posting Was Verbally Agreed Upon"
Min Heejin, former CEO of ADOR, appeared as a witness in the damages lawsuit filed by ADOR against director Shin Wooseok, who directed the music video for NewJeans' "Ditto" and other works.
According to Yonhap News, on the 11th, the Civil Settlement Division 62 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Hyunseok) held the third hearing for the damages lawsuit filed by ADOR against Dolphin Kidnappers and music video director Shin Wooseok, seeking approximately 1.1 billion won in damages.
At the hearing, former CEO Min criticized ADOR's claims regarding videos uploaded and channels operated by Dolphin Kidnappers on grounds of copyright, calling them absurd and illogical.
Min Heejin, former CEO of Adore, appeared as a witness on the 11th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu for a lawsuit confirming the claim for stock transaction payment and termination of the shareholder agreement with HYBE. Photo by Yonhap News
This lawsuit began when Dolphin Kidnappers uploaded the director's cut version of NewJeans' "ETA" music video to their own YouTube channel in August last year. At the time, ADOR questioned what authority director Shin had to post NewJeans content, which is owned by the company, on his personal channel. Subsequently, Shin deleted all NewJeans-related videos from another unofficial fandom channel he operated, called "Ban Heesoo Channel."
Afterward, director Shin filed a criminal complaint, claiming that ADOR's statement referring to the "(director's cut) unauthorized release" defamed him, while ADOR filed a damages lawsuit against Dolphin Kidnappers.
Testifying as a witness at the request of director Shin, former CEO Min stated that the separate posting of the director's cut of NewJeans' "ETA" music video on the Dolphin Kidnappers YouTube channel and elsewhere was verbally agreed upon. She explained that it is common industry practice for music video directors to upload completed works to their personal social media or websites.
When asked whether consent from TBWA, Apple's advertising agency, was needed to post the director's cut, Min responded, "The right to approve belongs to me," adding, "As the CEO and producer at the time, it would have been strange to ask Apple for permission."
In response to ADOR's claim that uploading the director's cut to the Dolphin Kidnappers channel would reduce the company's YouTube revenue and cause losses, Min dismissed this as "a foolish and absurd claim."
She also questioned, "All staff members make verbal agreements, so why is HYBE (ADOR's parent company) applying such a standard only to director Shin?"
ADOR also raised suspicions that former CEO Min had given preferential treatment to Dolphin Kidnappers. During her tenure as CEO in 2023, ADOR paid Dolphin Kidnappers 3.3 billion won for the production of four music videos, which amounts to 25% of Dolphin Kidnappers' annual revenue (approximately 13.2 billion won).
Regarding the question of whether Min had funneled work to Dolphin Kidnappers because she knew they had to achieve 18 billion won in operating profit under a stock transaction and other agreements with Kakao Entertainment, Min countered, "That is a baseless accusation and slander." She added, "Director Shin typically produced four to five videos for the cost of one."
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