Source Music files $390,000 damages suit against Ador CEO Min Hee-jin
Min Hee-jin, CEO of Ador, answers reporters' questions as she leaves Yongsan Police Station in Seoul after her first summons for questioning regarding allegations of breach of duty, July 9. Yonhap
Source Music, the agency representing the girl group Le Sserafim and a HYBE subsidiary, has filed a lawsuit against Min Hee-jin, CEO of Ador.
An official from Source Music confirmed, "Source Music has filed a lawsuit against Ador's CEO Min Hee-jin, seeking damages."
The official fell short of disclosing the exact amount. But Sports Seoul reported that the lawsuit seeks 500 million won ($390,000) in damages for defamation, business interference and insult.
The lawsuit stems from allegations made by Min regarding conflicts with HYBE, including claims that she personally cast members of NewJeans during the conflict and that Source Music neglected the members of NewJeans. Additionally, Min allegedly broke a promise to debut NewJeans as HYBE's first girl group.
Source Music asserts that these claims are false and has decided to take legal action.
Min publicly addressed the conflict during a press conference in April, stating that HYBE had promised to debut NewJeans as its first girl group.
In response, Source Music expressed displeasure, saying, "We deeply regret the current situation where false information and disrespectful expressions were publicly made, mentioning other artists by name without respect."
In a related matter, Min was accused of breach of trust by HYBE and attended her first police investigation on July 9.
After the investigation, Min told reporters, "It cannot be considered a breach of trust. I feel relieved to have conveyed the important facts accurately and will submit the remaining documents through my lawyer later."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.