On April 22, HYBE had demanded resignation of Min Hee Jin, ADOR’S CEO. Min Hee Jin allegedly attempted a ‘Couple d’etat’ to try to become independent ADOR from HYBE, who owns 80% of ADOR shares. In response, Min Hee Jin criticised Bang Si Hyuk openly for management rights tussle.

It was reported that their plan was to grasp control of ADOR from HYBE. They were accused of leaking sensitive information of artists, contract details between ADOR & HYBE, to various external entities, including private equity firms & foreign investment advisors.

HYBE has launched an audit against Min Hee Jin and other ADOR executives for their negative publicity against HYBE. And it was rumoured that Min Hee Jin denied HYBE’s accusations of attempting to take hold control of ADOR.

HYBE employees, Park Ji Won released a statement. He wrote:

“To our staff, hello. This is Park Ji Won.

There has been a lot of news about our company recently. I think many of you will understandably feel confusion and panic as you’re a part of a company that has been leading entertainment.

Our company was the pioneer in terms of a multi-label firm, and we have experienced both big and small obstacles. However, we have taken these as stepping stones to overcome, growing from them instead.

In the midst of this, this situation occurred, and I too, feel sad about it. However, we have found definitive intentions to seize the company, and we have begun audits to correct things. We already internally reviewed parts of the company, and through this audit, we will hold more investigations. We will also be taking more definitive action against those responsible.

I hope you all will not be too affected by the current content that is being reported in the media. Currently, the label responsible for this is not responding properly to the justified audit and is refusing to respond. Everything they claim is untrue and without evidence. Currently, the issues being raised are unrelated to ILLIT’s debut period, and we have found out everything was pre-planned. We plan to investigate this more carefully through the audit and take appropriate measures to deal with it.

I must ask you as our staff to work hard at your job without being affected by this. The company will do its best in order not to let the IP value and work that you have worked on so far be slandered.”

This took a dramatic turn when Min Hee Jin tried to use her relationship with NewJeans, pressuring HYBE to fulfill her demands. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin indicted HYBE of allowing it’s subsidiary, BELIFT Lab, to plagirize NewJeans’  concept for new girl group, ILLIT, which is under HYBE’s.

Yonhap News reported that she also accused against other groups, including TWS, and SM Entertainment’s RIIZE, of copying NewJeans’ style.

Min Hee Jin said in an interview with Daily Sports,

“I never tried to take over the management rights of ADOR, as HYBE claimed. How could I take over the management rights with only 18% of the shares I own? It is impossible for me to take over the management rights of ADOR because HYBE owns 80% of shares, therefore, it is impossible for ADOR to become independent from HYBE.” (…) “When I raised concerns about several other issues revealed by the Newjeans and ILLIT copying incident, I was suddenly notified of termination procedures. (…) If the goal was money, we wouldn’t have filed such a complaint or objection in the first place, it seems like HYBE framed this as acquiring management rights. Didn’t the Fifty Fifty incident become a precedent? I don’t do such foolish things. (…) I had hoped to somehow resolve the issue with HYBE by raising an official issue internally, but the sudden attack made me think more. When I look at the press announcement and the HYBE attack today, I feel that the intention is to tarnish individuals by spreading public opinion in a direction other than the essence of the problem. The world believes what it wants to believe, instead of wanting to know the truth. I was subjected to many attacks, both internally and externally. Therefore, as an individual, I am afraid of being caught up in this kind of dramatic slander and public opinion war.”

NewJeans released a poster for their comeback, scheduling double singles in May and June. They had plans for a grand fan meeting titled ” Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Done”.

On the morning of April 24, a protest truck was stationed outside HYBE’s Yongsan building. Fans expressed concerns regarding the recent controversy and its potential impact on the K-pop groups, NewJeans and ILLIT. The protesters directed their message towards HYBE’s CEO, Min Hee Jin, urging her to cease involving NewJeans and their families in the issue. Additionally, they called for an end to the practice of dragging other artists into the controversy. The fandom’s support for NewJeans and their activities under HYBE was evident from the various comments displayed on the protest truck. This incident was reported by kbizoom.