The recent court hearing involving Min Hee-jin and HYBE resulted in a repeated blame game of accusations — Min touting that HYBE copied NewJeans to make ILLIT and HYBE stating that Min tried to get a new investor to break free from HYBE.

The attorneys from Min, the former CEO of girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR, and ADOR's majority shareholder HYBE presented their cases to the Seoul Central District Court on Friday during a hearing on the injunction lawsuit Min filed against HYBE.


Min filed for the injunction on Sept. 13, requesting an extraordinary shareholder meeting for ADOR and her reinstatement as CEO. ADOR's board members voted to remove Min as CEO on Aug. 27 and appointed Kim Ju-young, head HR officer of HYBE, as the new chief.

ADOR offered, on Sept. 25, to extend Min's position as a member of the company's board but stated that it would not reinstate her as the CEO. Min shot the offer down and said the offer was only "a disguise."

Friday's hearing was mostly a repetition of the monthslong back-and-forth between the two parties, starting in April this year. HYBE argued that Min violated her contract by trying to draw in third-party investment so that she could seize control of ADOR, giving the company the right to fire her as CEO. Min claimed that it was HYBE that compromised their relationship by copying NewJeans to make ILLIT.

Min's attorneys at Shin & Kim presented a voice recording of a company insider testifying that HYBE requested NewJeans' "blueprint files" when it began making ILLIT and that the outcomes were "identical."

"Min made an official complaint on the matter on April 3, which resulted in an internal audit against Min in retaliation," her attorneys said.

The attorneys also claimed that HYBE intentionally tried to form a negative opinion surrounding NewJeans and tried to cover up a bullying incident against the group, which HYBE's attorneys called "a fictional story to evade their responsibilities."

"We began our audit because we were informed a long time ago that Min was trying to take ADOR out of HYBE," the company's attorneys said. "The audit took place as part of our effort to minimize damage against the company's value."

Both parties cited the May 30 ruling as evidence. Min's attorneys argued that the court stating that no breach of trust took place meant that she was not guilty, while HYBE's attorneys said that the court acknowledged Min's ethical betrayal, which is enough to break off a contract.

"Both parties are repeating the content of the May 30 injunction case," the judge said. "It is quite frankly a waste of precious time to make the case."

The court will accept additional data until Oct. 25 and make a ruling by the end of the month, the judge said.

Min's term as a member of the board at ADOR is set to end on Nov. 2 without extension.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]