Can Min Hee-jin and ADOR Sustain a Partnership Amid NewJeans Distrust?

ADOR has advocated for the reappointment of Min Hee-jin as an internal director, despite claims of distrust towards her. Although Min Hee-jin has stated that she will not assume the role of general producer, she continues to oversee projects related to NewJeans. The contrasting actions from both parties suggest a deeper complexity at play. What might be motivating these decisions?

On October 17th, ADOR convened a temporary shareholders’ meeting where the motion to reappoint Min Hee-jin as an internal director was approved. This came just before her term was due to end on November 1st. ADOR fulfilled a commitment made to Min Hee-jin’s representative during the recent injunction hearing concerning voting rights, which had taken place on October 11th.

During that hearing, ADOR clarified, “Our support for the creditor (Min Hee-jin) as an internal director is unwavering; she has held her producing powers for five years, allowing her to continue work until the exclusive contract with NewJeans concludes.”

They further indicated that the creditor’s intention was to carry through with voting in favor of appointing an internal director and that the debtor (ADOR) had submitted a proxy statement in alignment. This assurance was noted in the court record upon request, effectively executing Min Hee-jin’s reappointment.

This decision starkly contrasts with ADOR’s previous statements in the media and their legal remarks, which claimed Min Hee-jin was untrustworthy due to alleged acts of betrayal and breach of trust. Members of the public have raised eyebrows, asking, “If trust is lacking, why appoint her?” and “It’s puzzling to retain her as an internal director while not offering her the CEO role.”

Experts in the industry suggest that this course of action originates from ADOR’s primary goal: to ensure that NewJeans can continue their operations without interruption. Given that NewJeans members have expressed a preference for collaborating with Min Hee-jin and engaging with her team via live events, it appears challenging to disregard the desires of the artists in light of public sentiment. ADOR seems to prioritize the continuity of the artists’ activities over their issues with Min Hee-jin’s trustworthiness.

In response, HYBE remarked, “We acknowledged and respected the management decisions made by ADOR’s board regarding Min Hee-jin’s reappointment,” but further clarified, “We are unable to comment on the producer contract and related roles.”

Moreover, industry analysts note that ADOR’s ongoing resistance to Min Hee-jin assuming the CEO position stems from their publicly stated objective to separate production from management, aiming to prevent an excessive concentration of authority.

Min Hee-jin, who had previously rejected a contract clause related to becoming general producer due to dissatisfaction, seems to maintain her producing role for NewJeans within ADOR. At that time, she cited the existence of problematic clauses in the delegation contract as her rationale for non-signature, compounded by uncertainties surrounding her status as an internal director. Therefore, her continuation with NewJeans raises further inquiries.

Min Hee-jin’s choices also appear to be driven by the need to sustain NewJeans’ momentum. In an interview with Japanese media on October 16th, she stated, “I currently hold neither producer nor CEO titles,” explaining that while her position as an internal director is indefinite, she is actively pursuing the plans she has developed with NewJeans.

With her reappointment as an internal director now established, there remains a possibility that she could renegotiate a contract as general producer and reengage in official activities. Her representative has expressed that no formal statements can be provided until the injunction results are finalized, but they noted that while no discussions have taken place with ADOR post-reappointment, future talks could be plausible.

As both parties navigate their legal disputes with opposing viewpoints, they share a unified aim: to preserve NewJeans’ ongoing activities. Despite the evident discord, ADOR has reappointed Min Hee-jin as an internal director, keeping her within the organization, while Min Hee-jin continues her role with NewJeans. To meet this shared objective, ADOR and Min Hee-jin are engaging in seemingly contradictory actions from an outside perspective.

Source: Daum

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