South Korean prosecutors have declined to charge 10 executives at HYBE and its subsidiary BELIFT LAB over a string of criminal complaints brought by former ADOR chief Min Hee-jin.
The Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office decided on May 27 not to indict any of the accused, a decision disclosed by legal circles in South Korea on Thursday (June 11), according to The Korea Herald.
Among those cleared are HYBE’s former CEO, Park Ji-won, and five other company officials, plus BELIFT LAB chief Kim Tae-ho and three of the label’s executives.
The complaints accused the executives of defamation, obstruction of business, and breaches of South Korea’s information and communications network laws.
The complaints stemmed from an April 2024 HYBE press release that alleged Min had turned to a shaman for advice on running ADOR, and that the label’s management had plotted to void NewJeans’ exclusive contracts.
Prosecutors dismissed the defamation complaint built on the “shamanistic management” characterization, concluding that Min had indeed discussed ADOR’s management with a shaman.
While prosecutors viewed HYBE’s wording as overstated, they said it fell short of defamation through false information.
HYBE had backed up the 2024 statement by releasing KakaoTalk exchanges between Min and the shaman. In one 2021 message, the shaman purportedly told her to “seize the company after three years.”
A separate defamation complaint targeting BELIFT LAB executives was also dismissed. That complaint centered on a video in which BELIFT LAB rejected accusations that its group ILLIT had lifted NewJeans’ choreography and styling; prosecutors reportedly deemed the video an expression of opinion rather than criminal defamation.
Prosecutors also threw out Min’s claim that HYBE had improperly accessed ADOR’s emails and KakaoTalk messages, finding the review fell within the company’s lawful audit powers.
In July 2024, Min had filed defamation and obstruction-of-business complaints against five HYBE executives, which police declined to pursue in July 2025.
That same month, police likewise declined to act on HYBE’s own breach-of-trust complaint against Min, which the company said it would appeal.
The criminal decision lands roughly four months after Min prevailed in a separate civil case against HYBE.
In February 2026, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed HYBE’s bid to terminate its shareholder agreement with Min and ordered the company to pay approximately USD $17.6 million to her and two other former ADOR directors.
It deemed HYBE’s stated grounds for termination “abstract or minor ancillary obligations.”
The same ruling also upheld Min’s plagiarism allegations against ILLIT as valid, a distinct matter from the criminal defamation complaint prosecutors have now dismissed.
The wider feud dates to 2024, when HYBE accused Min of trying to seize control of ADOR, the label she co-founded in 2021 and where she developed the girl group NewJeans.
NewJeans later sought to terminate its contract with ADOR, but a court ruled the deal valid and the group lost its final appeal in 2025.
Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni have since confirmed they will return to ADOR, while talks with Minji over the terms of her return are reportedly ongoing. ADOR terminated Danielle’s contract in December 2025 and has since filed legal action against her.
Min, for her part, has maintained that she played no role in, and held no authority over, NewJeans’ attempt to terminate the deal.Music Business Worldwide
South Korean prosecutors have decided not to press charges against ten executives from HYBE and its subsidiary, BELIFT LAB, following a series of criminal complaints filed by former ADOR chief, Min Hee-jin. The Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office announced their decision on May 27, which was later reported by The Korea Herald on June 11. Among those cleared were HYBE’s former CEO Park Ji-won, along with five other HYBE officials, BELIFT LAB chief Kim Tae-ho, and three additional executives from the label.
The complaints against the executives included accusations of defamation, obstruction of business, and violations of South Korea’s information and communications network laws. The allegations arose from a press release issued by HYBE in April 2024, which claimed that Min had solicited advice from a shaman regarding the management of ADOR, and that the label’s leadership had conspired to void exclusive contracts with the girl group NewJeans.
Prosecutors dismissed the defamation claim related to the “shamanistic management” characterization, determining that Min had indeed consulted a shaman about ADOR’s management issues. Although they found HYBE’s language to be exaggerated, it did not constitute defamation based on falsehoods. To support their claims, HYBE released communications between Min and the shaman, including a message from 2021 in which the shaman allegedly urged Min to « seize the company after three years. »
In a separate case involving BELIFT LAB executives, a defamation complaint was also dismissed. This complaint revolved around a video in which BELIFT LAB denied allegations that its group ILLIT had copied NewJeans’ choreography and styling. Prosecutors viewed the video as an expression of opinion rather than a criminal act of defamation.
Additionally, prosecutors rejected Min’s assertion that HYBE had illegally accessed ADOR’s emails and KakaoTalk messages, concluding that the review of these communications fell within the company’s legitimate audit rights.
The legal disputes began in July 2024 when Min filed defamation and obstruction-of-business complaints against five HYBE executives. The police chose not to pursue these allegations in July 2025. At the same time, they also declined to act on a breach-of-trust complaint that HYBE had filed against Min, which the company indicated it would appeal.
This decision by prosecutors comes about four months after Min’s success in a separate civil case against HYBE. In February 2026, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed HYBE’s attempt to terminate its shareholder agreement with Min, ordering the company to pay approximately $17.6 million to her and two other former ADOR directors. The court found that HYBE’s reasons for terminating the agreement were based on “abstract or minor ancillary obligations.” The same ruling also substantiated Min’s plagiarism claims against ILLIT, although this matter was separate from the criminal defamation charges now dismissed.
The conflict between Min and HYBE dates back to 2024 when HYBE accused her of attempting to take over ADOR, a label she co-founded in 2021 where she played a significant role in developing the girl group NewJeans. NewJeans later sought to terminate their contracts with ADOR, but a court ruled that the contract was valid, and the group lost their final appeal in 2025. Since then, members Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni have confirmed their return to ADOR, while negotiations regarding Minji’s return are reportedly still in progress. ADOR also terminated Danielle’s contract in December 2025 and has initiated legal action against her.
Throughout these disputes, Min has consistently asserted that she had no involvement in NewJeans’ attempts to terminate their contract with ADOR, nor did she hold any authority in those matters. The ongoing legal battles and public disputes between Min and HYBE reflect the complexities and tensions within the K-pop industry, especially concerning management, contractual obligations, and creative ownership.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how these legal outcomes will impact the careers of those involved and the future dynamics within both HYBE and ADOR. The dismissal of the criminal complaints marks a significant moment in this ongoing saga, potentially setting the stage for further developments and resolutions in the various legal disputes surrounding these prominent figures in the South Korean entertainment landscape.
