Popular K-pop group NewJeans took to YouTube to demand Hybe Co. reinstate their ousted long-time producer by Sept. 25, escalating an ongoing dispute and stunning an industry controlled by a handful of powerful management firms.
Hybe’s shares dived as much as 6.2%—their biggest intraday fall in a month—after the five-member group announced their demands in a surprise YouTube live-stream Wednesday evening. The women accused Hybe of discrimination and called for measures to protect NewJeans, one of the most lucrative and popular K-pop bands that generated 100 billion won ($73 million) of revenue last year, according to a company filing.
NewJeans’ ultimatum underscored a deepening revolt against the management company. It comes after Hybe ordered Min Hee-jin to step down as CEO in August and gave her two months to work on the group’s album. In doing so, Hybe defied an earlier court order that barred Hybe from dismissing Min as the head of sister label ADOR, which produces NewJeans, according to a statement from Min’s lawyer.
NewJeans' Demands
In a surprise live-stream video shared on the night of Sept 11 that was kept secret from the staff of Ador and Hybe, members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein asked for Min to be reinstated by Sept 25.
The quintet did not elaborate on what actions they would take if their requests are not met. The 30-minute live stream was uploaded onto YouTube via a newly created account that was deleted soon after the live stream was completed.
In it, Minji, 20, called on Hybe and its chairman Bang Si-hyuk to “make the wise decision to reinstate Min Hee-jin as the CEO of Ador”. She added that the members want an Ador where music production and business management are helmed by Min.
NewJeans’ demands come more than two weeks after Ador announced on Aug 27 its dismissal of Min as its CEO, and replaced her with human resources management expert Kim Ju-young. It stated then that the move will separate music production from management in Ador. Min protested her dismissal, and called it a unilateral decision made against her will.
Min’s dispute with Hybe began in April, when Hybe alleged that she orchestrated a plan to break away from the parent company. She denied the charges and accused another Hybe subsidiary of copying NewJeans with its new girl group Illit.
Allegations of Discrimination and Mistreatment
In the live stream, NewJeans said they have been distressed by the months of public conflict and did not feel that their concerns have been heard. The quintet, who are known for songs like Hype Boy (2022), OMG (2023) and Super Shy (2023), credited their success to Min, who they say shares a similar vision for the group.
Speaking in a mix of English and Korean, Korean-Australian Danielle, 19, said Min is “irreplaceable” and called on Hybe to stop “harassing” Min. She said: “She seems so pitiful and this just makes Hybe look like an inhumane company. What can we learn from a company like that?”
Youngest member Hyein, 16, said the group knew about Min’s dismissal only through the news on Aug 27.
Visibly angered, Hyein added: “It was so sudden. It was something none of us thought would happen... We are artistes under Hybe, yet the company made this unilateral decision. It really made us feel like, ‘Wow, they don’t respect us at all.’”
NewJeans also recounted several incidents which made them feel dismissed and distrustful of the current management of Hybe and Ador.
Haerin, 18, said that videos of the members during their days as trainees, as well as their private medical information, were recently leaked.
She added: “It’s such a shock to me. How can a company, which is supposed to protect us, allow such information to be leaked? I’m worried that other strange or false information about us might spread in the future. Although we, our parents and Min brought up these concerns to Hybe, it did not resolve the issue nor did it take any proactive measures.”
Vietnamese-Australian Hanni, 19, alleged that the group have been ostracized within Hybe. She said that when she encountered another K-pop group under Hybe in a shared company building, she greeted them, but overheard the group’s manager telling them to ignore her.
“To say that in front of me, knowing full well that I can hear it – why do I have to go through something like that? I don’t understand. I’m speechless,” she said.
She added that she brought up the incident to Ador’s new chief executive Kim, but was told that she had no evidence to back her up.
She said: “To see her just gloss over the incident like that made me feel that there is simply no one who can protect us. I don’t feel like she has our interests at heart because I went to her and spoke honestly, but instead I was made to feel like a liar.”
Minji also questioned whether Ador truly plans to separate its management from its music production, referencing Ador’s ongoing dispute with music video director Shin Woo-seok, who has directed music videos for NewJeans in the past, alleging that management has been interfering with the group’s production.
Shin, who runs production company Dolphiners Films, said he was asked to remove NewJeans-related content from its social media accounts. Ador has denied this, saying that it asked for only the director’s cut of the music video for ETA (2023) to be taken down.
Danielle added: “The content that we released solely for our Bunnies (the name of the NewJeans’ fandom) was instantly erased. We’re just working hard for our dreams. What exactly did we do wrong?”
The Power Struggle at Hybe
The power struggle at Hybe has wiped out 27% of Hybe’s market value since the dispute between Min and the company first surfaced in mid-April. Hybe started an internal audit of Min’s activities, accusing her of trying to seize control of ADOR. They took their disagreement to court, where a judge ruled the producer should remain head of the sister label.
“If our message has been properly conveyed, we hope chairman Bang and Hybe will make a wise decision to restore ADOR to its original state by the 25th,” NewJeans member Minji said at the end of the video, referring to label chairman Bang Si-Hyuk.
A Turning Point for the K-Pop Industry
NewJeans’ bold move has sent shockwaves through the K-pop industry, raising questions about the power dynamics between artists and management companies. The group’s unprecedented direct appeal to the public highlights the growing dissatisfaction with the current system, where artists often have limited control over their careers.
If NewJeans’ demands are not met, it could lead to a significant shift in the industry’s landscape, empowering artists to fight for their rights and demand greater transparency from their management companies. The outcome of this dispute will be closely watched by K-pop fans and industry insiders alike.
