KOREA (CelebrityAccess)—Min Heejin, the founder of HYBE’s sublabel ADOR, has been replaced as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). HYBE announced the news on Tuesday (August 27). According to reports by Korea JoongAng Daily, the decision occurred during a board meeting. Kim Juyoung, a human resources management specialist and fellow board member, was appointed as the new CEO of ADOR.
In a statement obtained and translated by Soompi, an ADOR spokesperson mentioned that Juyoung will be responsible for stabilizing and reorganizing the company’s internal structure. Although Heejin is stepping down from her CEO role, she will continue to be involved with ADOR as a staff member, maintaining her position on the board of directors and producing music for NewJeans, the label’s only artist.
However, the situation is more complicated than it appears. Per Soompi, someone in Heejin’s camp told Korean media that the decision to remove her as CEO was made without her consent and that she was not consulted about her continued role in producing for NewJeans. Reports suggest that tensions between Heejin and HYBE executives have escalated, with both sides involved in legal disputes.
HYBE, which owns 80% of ADOR, suspects Heejin of attempting to take control of the company by selling shares and possibly leaking confidential information. In response, the ousted CEO has filed police reports against five HYBE executives, accusing them of defamation and leaking private messages. HYBE, in turn, has announced plans to countersue Heejin for false accusations.
This leadership change at ADOR follows another significant shift within HYBE. Last month, former CEO Park Ji-won stepped down and was succeeded by Lee Jae-sang, the former Chief Strategy Officer. ADOR plans to restructure its organization by separating production and management functions, aligning with the practices of other HYBE labels such as Big Hit Music, Belift Lab, and Source Music.
