Min Hee-jin Holds Press Conference on First-Trial Victory and Future Plans

Hello. I am Min Hee-jin.

First, I would like to express my deepest respect and gratitude to the presiding judges who carefully examined the essence of this case over such a long period of time and confirmed it clearly through their ruling.

From the injunction victory in 2024, to the police’s decision not to refer the case to prosecution in 2025, and now this first-trial ruling victory in 2026 — it has truly been a long tunnel.

The court confirmed that the inflammatory framing of “management takeover” and “tampering” was an illusion, and recognized that my concerns regarding creative ethics were a legitimate management judgment I was obligated to make as the CEO of a company.

The outcome of this lawsuit was like a comfort that washed away two years of wounds. I feel a sense of debt for the fatigue I unintentionally caused to the public throughout this process.

I now wish to repay that debt with a new vision for K-pop.

The reason I am standing here today is to announce that I have decided to exchange the 25.6 billion won I would receive as a result of my victory for something of greater value.

25.6 billion won is a sum that most people would never encounter even if they dedicated their entire lives to earning it. It is also an incredibly valuable sum for me, as I have just announced a new beginning. But because there is a value I desire far more than this vast amount of money, I called this press conference to make a meaningful proposal to HYBE.

Among all the reasons behind this decision, the most pressing one is the NewJeans members.

In exchange for forgoing the 25.6 billion won, I propose that all ongoing civil and criminal lawsuits be immediately halted and all disputes be brought to a close. This proposal encompasses not only myself personally, but also all charges and complaints filed against the NewJeans members, external partners, former ADOR employees, and the fandom that has been hurt by being caught up in this fight.

Only when all of these legal disputes are resolved will it be possible to prevent further reckless noise from affecting not only the artists, but also their families and the fandom.

I can no longer stand by and watch the reality where five members who should be happily on stage — some are on stage, while others are in a courtroom. The members on stage must be suffering too, and no one — not just the fans watching this unfold — can look upon this situation with happiness. And with hearts so torn apart, it is impossible to create meaningful culture.

As I have said many times, there are values far more important to me than money. Now that my sincerity has been confirmed, I want to show the world that there are things more precious than money.

I hope that this decision to exchange such a vast sum for something of greater value will elevate into the broader development and harmony of the K-pop industry.

The place where HYBE and I belong is not in a courtroom, but on the stage of creation.

I had a creative vision when I launched NewJeans. I deeply regret not being able to see it through to the end. That is why I urge current ADOR to make good on the promise made in court — “We will treat NewJeans well when they return.”

Please create an environment where all five NewJeans members can gather and freely pursue their dreams. Opening the path for the artists to shine again — that is the only role we, as the adults in the room, should play.

To me, 25.6 billion won is not worth more than restoring a healthy K-pop ecosystem and the artists’ peace of mind.

I hope that we can all now do our best on our respective paths, so that we may offer fans a stage that is even better than before.

I propose that we adults return to competing where we truly belong — not in a courtroom, but through music and on stage. The longer this dispute drags on, the more the true protagonists of this industry — the artists — suffer alongside everyone else.

HYBE and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk. Let us now meet not in a courtroom, but at the table of creation. In this era of heightened corporate accountability — including the amendment to the Commercial Act in July 2025 — choosing to resolve the risks of the entertainment industry and to pursue reconciliation will be the wisest management decision for both shareholders and fans.

I now wish to shed the label of “former ADOR CEO” and walk a new path as the CEO of OOAK Records. Going forward, I will pour all my energy into nurturing new artists to represent the K-pop industry and into building a business with a new direction.

I would like to thank all the members of the press who took time out of their busy schedules to attend my press conference. I hope there will be no more exhausting press conferences like this after today.

From this point forward, I will find you not in a press conference room or a courtroom, but on the stage of creation. And now I will dedicate myself fully to the creative work I do best. I sincerely hope that today’s message reaches everyone’s hearts and becomes a turning point that allows the K-pop industry as a whole to breathe healthily once again.

Today, the KOSPI surpassed 6,000. I hope HYBE will consider this proposal of mutual coexistence with an open and forward-looking mind.

Thank you.