NewJeans versus HYBE timeline: Everything the girl group has said so far

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NewJeans versus HYBE timeline: Everything the girl group has said so far

Published: 26 Sep. 2024, 17:40 Updated: 26 Sep. 2024, 17:51

TREVOR TREHARNE
trevor.treharne@joongang.co.kr

Clockwise from top left: A handwritten letter by NewJeans member Danielle to Min Hee-jin, uploaded on the ADOR CEO's Instagram account on July 31; Min Hee-jin on May 31; NewJeans at The Fact Music Awards in September; NewJeans in a livestream held Sept. 11 on YouTube. [SCREEN CAPTURE, JOINT PRESS CORPS, THE FACT, SCREEN CAPTURE]

Ever since HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin have been at odds since April, girl group NewJeans has found itself at the center of the conflict due to its close ties and its public support for Min.

The group has recently escalated its backing of Min, beginning with a surprise livestream that included an ultimatum to reinstate her as ADOR CEO. However, NewJeans has supported Min from the start. Here's everything NewJeans has expressed since the beginning of the dispute.

Friday, May 17: All five members file a letter of plea to the court on the day a hearing was held regarding Min's court request to nullify HYBE's rights as the 80 percent owner of her agency ADOR. It was the first legal action taken by the five members since the conflict between their agency and the agency's parent company, HYBE, began in April.

Wednesday, July 31: Danielle writes a handwritten letter to her "mother and warrior" Min, who uploaded a picture of Danielle's letter on her Instagram account with only a heart emoji as the caption. "My beloved CEO, it's Dani," the letter began. "It's been two years already. Our CEO who really did the most, thank you so, so much. So much has happened during the short and long two years that it almost feels like we went through everything we should have in seven years. Maybe it was a sacrifice for the future."

Girl group NewJeans [ADOR]

Monday, Sept. 2: Minji expresses her frustration that "nothing has been solved" regarding the conflict with ADOR in her first official statement addressing the dispute between Min and HYBE. “I was so frustrated with myself for not being able to solve anything,” Minji said on Phoning, a mobile app tailored for NewJeans. “I am so sorry that we’re going through this unnecessary trouble when there’s already not enough time in the day to focus on the good things.”

Sunday, Sept. 8: NewJeans publicly thanks Min while giving an acceptance speech at The Fact Music Awards (TMA) held in Osaka, Japan. "We truly love and thank CEO Min Hee-jin, who always cherishes and protects us," said NewJeans member Danielle as she received the Musinsa Popularity Award. "I want to say it because it might be the last chance. We are really, really grateful to our CEO. We love you so much, CEO,” fellow member Hyein also said as she received another award.

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin during a press conference on May 31 [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Wednesday, Sept. 11: NewJeans makes a public demand for HYBE to reinstate Min as the CEO of ADOR in a livestream on YouTube. "We hope that HYBE makes the wise choice to reinstate Min Hee-jin as the CEO of ADOR by Sept. 25," member Minji said. "The ADOR that we want is an ADOR where the music production and company management are done by Min Hee-jin as the CEO. We make this request as the way to cohabitate peacefully with HYBE." On the livestream, the group also claims that HYBE has been mistreating them “in uncomfortable and scary ways that make no sense” and that Min was the only protection against such “subtle bullying.”

Monday, Sept. 23: NewJeans members and their parents meet with the current CEO of ADOR, two days before the Sept. 25 deadline they gave the agency to reinstate Min. The quintet's members and parents met with Kim Ju-young, the current CEO of ADOR, according to a report by entertainment news outlet Ilgan Sports.

Wednesday, Sept. 25: Minji posts an enigmatic message on the group's online fan community app. "Tonight, filled with so many thoughts," Minji wrote on Phoning, NewJeans' exclusive fan community app. "Bunnies always cheer me up," she continued, referring to the girl group's fan club, named Bunnies. "Always take care of yourselves and only think of good things. Byeee."

BY TREVOR TREHARNE [trevor.treharne@joongang.co.kr]