ADOR (CEO Min Hee-jin) Statement on Member Poaching Controversy, Plagiarism Dispute, and Shamanism-Based Management
Hello, this is ADOR. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the fans who cherish and love NewJeans.
From the release of the “Bubble Gum” music video on April 26 to last week’s “Supernatural” music show promotions, we are deeply moved to have successfully completed an eventful three months of activities and to celebrate NewJeans’ second debut anniversary.
From broadcast promotions in Korea and Japan to the Tokyo Dome fan meeting, it was a time when we felt the profound love of fans who supported NewJeans on various stages. We extend our heartfelt gratitude especially to the NewJeans members and all the staff who worked tirelessly to ensure all schedules proceeded without disruption despite unexpected difficulties, as well as to everyone who helped and to Bunnies everywhere.
However, we are also well aware of the voices of concern regarding stories that differ from the facts being spread unfiltered through the media and social media amidst this joyous time.
Since correcting distorted facts is also important, we would like to address these matters.
The two songs “Bubble Gum” and “Easier Said Than Done” differ in their chord progressions (D major9 x2 – C# minor7 – F# minor7), BPM, and overall mood and flow. In particular, the claim of “unauthorized use” in this matter is completely untrue, and it appears to be simply a case where a short one-bar melodic phrase shows some similarity. However, it is difficult to claim that this melodic phrase is uniquely characteristic to “Easier Said Than Done.” This is because it is a type of melodic line commonly found in much popular music across genres, from songs released before “Easier Said Than Done” to the present day.
Based on this, we have strongly refuted the plagiarism allegations, and if further rebuttal is needed, we have requested that the claiming party resume discussions with a credible analysis report. In the process of determining plagiarism related to music releases—that is, in checking the similarity of musical compositions—submitting or requesting reports is a very natural and standard procedure. However, we express regret that some media outlets, without understanding this process, portrayed our request for an analysis report from the claiming party as if ADOR were making a demand that violates industry ethics. If one believes there is no issue, the normal course is to go through a process of determining right and wrong rather than secretly negotiating costs or trying to sweep things under the rug. Despite this being clearly the proper procedure and normal course of action for responding to such claims, ADOR currently faces perplexing situations on multiple fronts.
In particular, we have discovered various problems in the way some media outlets are covering this issue and in our communication and response with HYBE, which handles ADOR’s PR.
Despite the fact that we are following standard response procedures, articles are pouring out that ignore the progress made so far and problematize ADOR as if we are responding abnormally, along with exaggerated and biased reports whose facts have not been properly verified. Some outlets in particular show clear intent to manufacture negative issues by dragging in unrelated matters, adding to the severity of the problem by distorting even the achievements from our recent activities in Japan with false information and simultaneously publishing articles with distorted facts citing unreliable sources with questionable credibility to spread false information.
Furthermore, we question the communication within HYBE after the claim was filed and the way HYBE, which handles ADOR’s PR, is dealing with the media.
Shakatak’s side initially raised the issue through HYBE’s email account. Generally, such matters should be shared with the relevant label first, and then disseminated to appropriate related departments with the label’s consent and decision. However, HYBE distributed this sensitive matter to multiple departments without ADOR’s consent, causing the responding parties to this case to expand unnecessarily. Moreover, rather than first working closely with the label to find solutions and minimize the spread of negative issues, they showed a lukewarm and neglectful attitude until ADOR made requests, and continuous objections are being raised to this day.
Because legal and PR functions are centralized at HYBE rather than at individual labels, HYBE is essentially responsible for protecting NewJeans from various disputes. ADOR has voiced concerns about service improvements multiple times in the past.
‼️ Due to numerous complaints to DCinside as the content on page 5 was being interpreted differently from its intended meaning, we hereby clarify by adding that “agency hotline” refers to “agency post reporting hotline.” ‼️
Given these circumstances, ADOR is doing its best to resolve issues through our own efforts. In fact, this matter is being handled by Beasts And Natives Alike, which is responsible for NewJeans’ music, and the legal department of the publisher to which the composers belong. ADOR is also conducting article monitoring through our own personnel and making efforts to correct factually inaccurate content. We are also making efforts to respond to malicious comments and reverse viral campaigns. After receiving feedback from HYBE’s legal team that it is difficult to catch malicious commenters on DCinside, especially the so-called “floating” anonymous commenters, ADOR’s CEO Min Hee-jin, out of frustration, personally requested a meeting with DCinside CEO Kim Yu-sik to actively discuss measures for identifying and eradicating malicious commenters. Through this meeting, we learned that an agency post reporting hotline has existed and that through close cooperation with investigative agencies, even malicious comments from users without accounts can be tracked down. This is content that was explained and confirmed by CEO Kim Yu-sik, and the reason for disclosing this is to warn those who neglect malicious commenters based on the groundless rumor that anonymous community activity is difficult to detect, or who use this to commit wrongdoing. Currently, ADOR is taking all possible measures to eradicate the practice of posting malicious comments under the cover of anonymity. We would like to make clear that even if it takes time, we are actively exploring all methods to protect NewJeans.
Having successfully concluded these promotions after going through many difficult processes, NewJeans will take a rest period for recharging before preparing to return with a new look. However, in the meantime, we plan to surprise fans with unexpected schedules and content, so please look forward to it.
Thank you sincerely for always loving NewJeans.
Hello, this is ADOR.
We are conveying ADOR’s position on the article published by Dispatch today.
The content of the article in question consists of false information reconstructed based on speculation, and we will be taking strong legal action.
The contents covered in the report—including internal meeting minutes, work assignments, and personal KakaoTalk conversations—would be impossible to address without HYBE and Source Music’s cooperation with the coverage and provision of false information.
In particular, exposing to the public without permission the personal information of trainees whose contracts have already ended and artists who have since moved to other agencies, along with leaking various data that breaches confidentiality including medical records and demos, constitutes a breach of contract and a serious offense. The trainee contracts between Source Music and NewJeans members have already ended, and those contracts did not include any provisions permitting the use of the trainees’ likeness, voice, or other attributes. Therefore, Source Music’s release of trainee footage through media outlets is a very serious illegal act that infringes on the NewJeans members’ right of publicity, and we request that immediate measures be taken to protect the artists.
Furthermore, we criticize the shamefully immoral conduct—beyond mere incompetence—of HYBE for providing Dispatch with report content and materials that defame a subsidiary’s CEO by illegally obtaining private messenger conversations between individuals and having a third party release them without authorization while editing them falsely to suit their intentions, and we will be taking strong legal action.
Contrary to the Dispatch article, the claim that N Team’s debut was indefinitely delayed due to CEO Min Hee-jin’s negligence is very different from the actual facts. Therefore, to correct the fabricated content, we are releasing an email from 2021 that shows the situation at that time. The “CBO office PT materials” mentioned in this email refer to the [NewJeans Planning Draft], which was the initial concept for the team tentatively called “N Team” or “2021 Team” at the time. This PT material was created by CEO Min Hee-jin, who was serving as CBO at the time, and this occurred during a situation where there were many disagreements about the concept for a new girl group that was being developed as a three-way joint venture.
The timeline is as follows: 1) March 2020: Big Hit’s marketing team proposed a launch strategy for the “2021 Team” → However, CEO Min Hee-jin, who was Creative Director at the time, judged that the direction of the content was not appropriate, so CEO Min Hee-jin separately prepared her own launch strategy. 2) May 2020: CEO Min Hee-jin presented her launch strategy (as it was during the three-way joint venture period, Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, So Sung-jin, and Source Music representatives attended) → Chairman Bang Si-hyuk responded that CEO Min Hee-jin’s PT proposal was quite excellent but unconventional (described exactly as expressed at the time), and that it seemed difficult to implement with Source Music’s infrastructure, so it would be better to proceed under CEO Min Hee-jin’s label. 3) August 2020: Source Music re-proposed an advance planning proposal → It substantially copied CEO Min Hee-jin’s launch strategy from May → We complained to Source Music and So Sung-jin, and they acknowledged this.
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As shown in the email content, NewJeans’ launch strategy, which Source Music had said would be difficult to implement, was being copied by Source Music and discussed again, and discussions on each company’s roles and responsibilities and production timeline inevitably faced difficulties. ADOR (then CBO Office) did not receive a reply to this email. We are releasing this because sharing official emails that everyone involved had access to at the time is far more accurate for understanding the context and determining right from wrong than the selectively edited materials provided by HYBE, which is making false claims. ADOR has Slack conversations and KakaoTalk conversation records among the relevant parties from that time and could provide additional materials as evidence, but we are only releasing the email for now as we judged that releasing private conversations might be inappropriate.
We cannot understand HYBE, which continues to engage in falsehoods and fabrications despite the existence of documents and witnesses from that time, and despite the fact that the parents and members who experienced it firsthand are witnesses themselves.
We are especially dismayed that they committed such illegal acts the very next day after we, together with NewJeans’ legal guardians, clearly issued a stern warning regarding serious illegalities committed by HYBE PR just yesterday that have not yet been disclosed to the public. HYBE’s legal team sent a formal notice to CEO Min Hee-jin last May asking her not to disclose private KakaoTalk conversations she had with Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and CEO Park Ji-won. Yet why do they commit such thoughtless acts against ADOR?
CEO Min Hee-jin initialized and returned the aforementioned laptop to HYBE three years ago, and we strongly suspect that HYBE forensically examined this laptop to recover personal conversations. This constitutes a serious crime and illegal act corresponding to unauthorized examination of electronic records. However, HYBE claims they did not perform forensic examination and that the KakaoTalk conversations were stored on HYBE’s cloud server. But this is an even more serious problem. It means HYBE was routinely collecting personal conversations, storing them on their server, and then leaked them—which constitutes serious crimes and illegal acts violating the Protection of Communications Secrets Act and the Information and Communications Network Act (breach of confidentiality). HYBE’s actions are unconstitutional acts that seriously violate the freedom of privacy and freedom of communication.
ADOR’s CEO Min Hee-jin has already submitted her laptop, which she did not need to submit since it belongs to ADOR, to the police for complete resolution of any suspicions. And for a transparent investigation, CEO Min Hee-jin requested that the police retrieve and investigate the laptop in HYBE’s possession. However, HYBE claims that the relevant materials are stored on the company’s server/cloud rather than from laptop forensics and is not cooperating with police submission.
Forensically examining a laptop without the owner’s consent is itself a serious crime, but having personal conversations stored on the company’s server constitutes an even greater offense. Separately, if the data truly exists on the server, they should faithfully cooperate with the police’s request for cooperation.
ADOR and NewJeans’ legal guardians are seriously angered by the numerous irrational media plays and responses HYBE is currently engaging in and are considering countermeasures.
Since the entire content of the article was written based on false information, rebuttal is meaningless to that extent. We state once again that the complete distortion and fabrication of the overall facts and timeline constitutes serious defamation and obstruction of business against ADOR, NewJeans, and CEO Min Hee-jin.
We warn HYBE’s executives to stop the unnecessary persecution of their subsidiary immediately, cease creating unnecessary disputes, actively cooperate with the police investigation, and refrain from committing any further illegal acts. We hope they realize this is their responsibility and duty to shareholders.