Source Music Denies Claims by Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin
Source Music, a label under HYBE, has denied all the allegations made by former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin during her press conference last year. These claims included statements such as “I selected NewJeans” and “HYBE did not keep its promise to debut them as its first girl group.” The company presented evidence in court to refute these assertions.
On the 4th hearing date of the 500 million Korean won-scale damages lawsuit between Min and Source Music, held at the Civil Division 12 of the Seoul Western District Court on the 7th, Source Music submitted practice contract videos of NewJeans members as evidence. The video played in court included a scene where Daniel’s mother said, “If the debut is not confirmed, please give us the choice to stay with Source or transfer.” Another scene showed Haerin’s mother stating, “It’s amazing that the Source Music casting director came to Anyang.” Source Music argued, “These videos clearly show that the members were selected by Source Music.”
Evidence Presented in Court
Source Music further stated, “In Hyein’s case, the Source Music CEO personally persuaded her parents, and former Representative Min did not participate as a judge in the audition where Hanni was selected. Minji had already been selected by Source Music before former Representative Min joined.” This evidence aimed to demonstrate that the selection process was handled by Source Music and not by Min Hee-jin.
Regarding Min’s claim that “HYBE did not keep its promise to debut NewJeans as its first girl group,” Source Music countered with her own statements. In July 2021, Min told the then-HYBE CEO, “I don’t care when Le Sserafim debuts. However, I want to transfer NewJeans to M Label and make them the first team of M Label.” In August 2021, during a conversation with a shaman, she said, “I wanted to leave at the end, but the protagonist is the last one.” Source Music interpreted this as Min hoping for NewJeans to debut after Le Sserafim. They added, “There was never a promise to debut NewJeans as HYBE’s first girl group. Her false statements in front of the nation have damaged our reputation.”
Response to Accusations of “Scoundrels”
Regarding Min’s remark at the press conference that “they were scoundrels who sold trainees,” Source Music stated, “Without image and trust, it is impossible to discover and debut raw talents. Former Representative Min’s remarks, which shook the company’s business foundation, caused severe harm to employees and affiliated artists.” They continued, “While Min claims the term ‘scoundrel’ does not lower social evaluation, she hypocritically filed a damages lawsuit against netizens who called her a scoundrel. We request the court to order appropriate compensation reflecting her responsibility.”
Legal Actions Taken
Source Music filed the 500 million Korean won lawsuit against Min in July last year, citing issues with her claims that she directly cast NewJeans members and that Source Music neglected them. Additionally, Belift Lab, the agency of group ILLIT, also filed a 2 billion Korean won damages lawsuit against Min over her “plagiarism allegations.”
This legal battle highlights the ongoing disputes between the parties involved, with each side presenting their evidence and arguments in an attempt to establish their version of events. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for both Source Music and Min Hee-jin, as well as for the broader entertainment industry.