NewJeans & Min Hee-jin: What the Latest Court Hearing Revealed
Remember when ADOR staff flew all the way to Hong Kong to inform ComplexCon about the court injunction against NewJeans’ independent activities?
According to court testimony, they waited for four hours hoping to meet with the organizers—but the meeting never happened.
Instead, an unidentified man allegedly appeared and started filming the ADOR staff members’ faces. Shortly afterward, ComplexCon allegedly emailed ADOR saying they would report them to immigration authorities, forcing the staff to leave Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, NewJeans performed under the name NJZ, despite the court’s injunction, and merchandise was sold at the venue.
So why did everything unfold that way?
According to evidence presented during the latest court hearing, prosecutors and ADOR argue that many of these events were not isolated incidents, but part of a much broader strategy allegedly led by former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
Like these text messages between Min & her lawyer:
So.. the ADOR staff, even though they flew all the way to HK, they could not meet the members or go to ComplexCon.
Here are 10 key points revealed during the trial:
1. The ComplexCon performance
According to the court proceedings, Min allegedly directed the overall planning for NJZ’s ComplexCon appearance, including the stage, costumes, merchandise, and preparations for new songs.
2. A ₩730 million consulting fee
Dispatch reported obtaining the contract between NJZ and ComplexCon.
The agreement allegedly listed approximately ₩730 million in consulting fees—around 1.5 times more than the artists’ own appearance fee. The contract reportedly did not specify who the consulting fee was intended for.
3. “Keep everything confidential.”
Court evidence suggests Min instructed those involved to keep the project completely secret until a new corporation had been established, allegedly warning that disclosure could negatively affect the ongoing lawsuit.
4. Activities funded through the parents
According to the evidence presented, a separate association was created and funded by the members’ mothers. Those funds were allegedly used for ComplexCon preparations, rehearsal rooms, and expenses related to former ADOR employees who had joined Min.
5. The alleged dual contract
Court documents also referenced AAO, a company established by ComplexCon organizer Bonnie Chan Woo.
Dispatch alleges that NewJeans secretly entered into an exclusive agreement with AAO in September 2024, creating what ADOR characterizes as a dual-contract situation.
6. The livestream
According to the testimony, Min allegedly encouraged the members’ September 2024 livestream because it would help generate evidence for future litigation.
She was also quoted as telling the parents that she would make sure they wouldn’t suffer financial losses even if legal disputes followed.
7. Awareness of the “tampering” issue
One of the more notable points presented in court was a message in which Min allegedly acknowledged concerns about “tampering.”
She reportedly said she couldn’t appear in the livestream together with the members because of that issue.
8. ILLIT
Court materials also alleged that Min suggested adding claims about ILLIT to NewJeans’ legal arguments, including statements that certain members had mocked NewJeans.
9. Negotiations with ADOR
According to Dispatch, Min allegedly viewed negotiations with ADOR not as an opportunity to reconcile, but as a way to build legal justification for not returning to the company.
10. Danielle’s mother
ADOR stated that Danielle was the only member whose exclusive contract was terminated because she allegedly continued independent commercial activities despite requests to stop.
The company also pointed to the Emotional Oranges collaboration and alleged that Danielle’s mother encouraged the other parents to remain firm during discussions with ADOR while withholding information about the alleged dual contract.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 23.
