On September 25, 2024, ADOR officially responded to NewJeans’ demand to reinstate Min Hee Jin as CEO. The agency issued a statement rejecting the request, explaining that they had already proposed Min Hee Jin an internal director position instead.

According to ADOR, a meeting was held to discuss the possibility of Min Hee Jin’s return, but the decision was made that her reinstatement as CEO was “currently not acceptable.” They further confirmed that the position of internal director had already been offered to her on September 11, allowing her to take charge of NewJeans’ production for the next five years—the remaining duration of the group’s contract.

ADOR’s Official Statement

“The ADOR board of directors discussed and decided that the request for her to return as CEO is currently not acceptable,” ADOR said in a statement. They also emphasized that the internal director position provides sufficient authority for Min Hee Jin to continue her work with the group.

The agency further stated, “Given that the basic guarantees regarding her position, duration, and authority as the producer in charge of NewJeans have been established, we expect further discussions and negotiations on specific conditions to take place in the future.”

All details and decisions from the shareholders’ meeting have been communicated to the NewJeans members via email.

Background of the Dispute

This dispute began on August 27, 2024, when HYBE, ADOR’s parent company, announced that Min Hee Jin would no longer serve as CEO, appointing Kim Joo Young as her replacement. Despite the leadership change, Min Hee Jin was still offered the role of internal director, allowing her to stay involved with NewJeans’ activities.

NewJeans responded strongly, with all five members opening a burner YouTube channel to express their dissatisfaction and demand that Min Hee Jin be reinstated as CEO. Their ultimatum gave the agency until September 25 to meet their demands. On September 13, Min Hee Jin herself filed an injunction to be reinstated as CEO.

In a final attempt to resolve the issue, NewJeans members, along with their parents, held an emergency meeting on September 24 with current CEO Kim Joo Young. However, the outcome of that meeting does not appear to align with the group’s wishes, as ADOR reaffirmed its decision not to reinstate Min Hee Jin as CEO.

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