7718
One culture critic highlightedMin Hee Jin’s absence amid the ongoingNewJeans-ADORfeud.
The following is a translation of the critic’s column.
Did they not see this coming?
The impossibility of NewJeans ‘Exit from HYBE’?"
NewJeans' attempt to break away from HYBE never seemed feasible from the start.
Their contract still had four years remaining, with no clear legal grounds for termination.
The courts decision on March 21 to uphold ADORs management rights over NewJeans was a logical conclusion.
Min Hee Jin and her legal team atSejong Law Firmlikely anticipated this outcome.
HYBEs mismanagement of the situation also played a role.
This narrative also became the justification for NewJeans members refusing to continue activities under ADOR without Min Hee Jin.
After that, Min Hee Jin vanished from the frontline, leaving NewJeans to continue the fight.
The approach involved framing a private contractual dispute as a broader public issue.
Their self-proclaimed status as “revolutionaries” in aTIMEmagazineinterview has even become a meme.
NewJeans members, however, were unable to command the same level of influence as Min Hee Jin.
Their press conference failed to leave as strong an impression as hers.
As an industry executive, Min Hee Jin could navigate multiple arguments with varying tones.
Meanwhile, the NewJeans members had to operate within the constraints of their image as young female idols.
They positioned themselves as victims of mistreatment, pleading for the return of their “rightful guardian.”
With Min Hee Jin restricted from direct involvement, their external battle ultimately failed to achieve its goals.
So, who won and who lost in this long fight?
HYBE prevented NewJeans from breaking free, but at the cost of significant reputational damage.
Through her infamous press conference, she became a cultural figure of national significance.
And in the end, she got what she wantedan escape from HYBE.
Unlike idols, a producer’s career lasts much longer.
She can secure investment, establish a new company, and debut another idol group.
Given that NewJeans fandom largely overlaps with Min Hee Jins supporters, they may follow her wherever she goes.
NewJeans members did not become the main characters in this dispute because they were its rightful stakeholders.
Instead, they found themselves carrying the weight of a conflict that had been brewing long before their involvement.
By stepping into the spotlight, they bore the burden of an entire industry-wide dispute.
The phrase “idols are innocent” is no longer taken for granted.
