Are you familiar with tampering?

 

 

The situation with the South Korean idol group NewJeans and the management rights dispute between Min Hee-jin and HYBE regarding ADOR is expected to escalate into a legal battle.

 

 

"The conflict that emerged on April 22, 2024, involves HYBE initiating an internal audit, alleging that CEO Min Hee- jin and other ADOR executives are attempting to make ADOR independent from HYBE LABELS and seize control. This led to a public dispute.

The ADOR management, including Min Hee-jin, claimed they only sent a letter of protest to the headquarters about BELIFLAB's new girl group ILLIT copying their group NewJeans, but were unexpectedly notified of a retaliatory dismissal. On the other hand, major shareholder HYBE accused the ADOR executives of trying to usurp management rights, leaking business secrets, and engaging in nepotism."    

민희진-HYBE 간 ADOR 경영권 분쟁

 

 

Despite NewJeans’ rapid growth, analysts in the securities industry believe that unless ADOR successfully becomes independent, HYBE and ADOR will remain in a vertical relationship. Therefore, once NewJeans resumes activities, HYBE is unlikely to suffer significant losses regardless of how the current controversy ends.

Even if ADOR does manage to achieve independence, the estimated 14% reduction in operating profit for HYBE, while not insignificant, would not be devastating. Moreover, since HYBE holds the copyright to NewJeans’ music, the actual loss, considering royalties, would likely be less than 14%.

However, recently, NewJeans members have begun claiming breach of contract due to HYBE's non-compliance with the notice sent by ADOR regarding the reinstatement of Min Hee-jin.

 

 

 

 

In 2009, TVXQ members Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun, and Kim Junsu filed a lawsuit against their agency, SM Entertainment, and left the group. They later formed JYJ and signed with a new agency, leading to tampering controversies. Similarly, in 2011, some members of KARA demanded to terminate their contracts with DSP Media, resulting in legal disputes and tampering allegations.

In 2015, Zayn Malik of One Direction left Simon Cowell’s Syco and signed with a new agency, sparking tampering controversies. Recently, with the global popularity of K-Pop, many Korean artists have signed with overseas agencies, often leading to tampering disputesIn 2009, TVXQ members Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun, and Kim Junsu filed a lawsuit against their agency, SM Entertainment, and left the group. They later formed JYJ and signed with a new agency, leading to tampering controversies. Similarly, in 2011, some members of KARA demanded to terminate their contracts with DSP Media, resulting in legal disputes and tampering allegations.

In 2015, Zayn Malik of One Direction left Simon Cowell’s Syco and signed with a new agency, sparking tampering controversies. Recently, with the global popularity of K-Pop, many Korean artists have signed with overseas agencies, often leading to tampering disputes

 

 

 

South Korea's Minister of Culture, Yoo In-chon, has stated that the issues surrounding Min Hee-jin and NewJeans are recognized as tampering, where an entertainer or singer with an existing agency is moved to another agency or where an insider creates a new agency and takes them along. "It's hard to tell how long the legal battle will last. Let's keep an eye on this together."