HYBE vs Min Hee Jin: HYBE Ordered to Pay $17.8M to ex-ADOR CEO

• A Seoul court ordered HYBE to pay Min Hee Jin ₩25.5 billion (~ $17.8 million USD) after confirming that she exercised the put option.
• The court determined that Min had not committed a significant enough breach to dissolve the shareholder contract.
• HYBE intends to appeal, while other lawsuits, including a ₩43 billion damages claim, are still pending.

In the high-profile HYBE vs Min Hee Jin Win case, a Seoul court has issued a crucial verdict, signaling a significant shift in the legal war. On Feb 12, 2026, the Civil Division 31 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Nam In-soo) directed HYBE to pay about ₩25.5 billion (~$17.8 million USD) to former ADOR chief Min Hee Jin for the put option [stock purchase claim right] she exercised previously, while rejecting the entertainment giant's suit to confirm cancellation of their shareholder contract.

How Did Min Hee Jin Win Against HYBE?

The verdict is a watershed moment in the HYBE Min Hee Jin lawsuit, which arose in April 2024 with HYBE alleging that Min had violated trust and attempted management control, purportedly including plans to remove ADOR, the label affiliated with girl group NewJeans, from the parent firm. HYBE further charged Min for broader corporate control concerns and related contract disputes, which they claimed, ultimately affected NewJeans' activities.

Min's legal team successfully contended that her put option, a contract provision that allowed her to sell her ADOR shares back to HYBE at a profit-linked formula, was still legitimate when she executed it in Nov 2024. The court determined that there were no material rights violations justifying termination, and that Min's negotiations with prospective external investors were conditional on HYBE's permission and were not carried out autonomously. 

As per the Korea Herald, the shareholder agreement stipulated the calculation of the payout at 75 % of 13 times ADOR’s average operating profit for the two prior fiscal years. ADOR posted an operating loss in 2022 but rebounded with a ₩33.5B (~ $23.26M) profit in 2023, underpinning the ~ ₩25.5B (~ $17.71M) valuation of Min’s put option exercise.

Furthermore, as stated by Chosun Daily, the court ordered payments of around ₩1.7B (~$1.18M) and ₩1.4B (~ $972,070) to two former ADOR executives who utilized their put rights, while dismissing HYBE's denial of their arguments. According to reports, HYBE will also be responsible for lawsuit fees.

HYBE Min Hee Jin Legal Battle: What Did HYBE Say in Response?

HYBE stated its intention to appeal, describing the verdict as "regrettable." As noted by various media outlets in South Korea, a HYBE spokesperson said, "We plan to proceed with appeals and other legal actions," reflecting the company's long-standing stance against Min Hee Jin. Reportedly, the judgment is also expected to further affect the ongoing legal issues, which also include a ₩43B (~ $29.86M) damages suit launched by ADOR against Min and others over NewJeans' exit and contract disputes.

The verdict marks a turning point in one of Korea's most closely watched entertainment industry battles. Reportedly, Min’s team portrays it not only as a financial success but also as a confirmation of contractual rules in K-pop corporate governance. In fact, authorities had earlier cleared Min of accusations regarding breach of trust and embezzlement in mid-2025, citing that the evidence was not sufficient enough to initiate prosecution against the ex-ADOR CEO.

The issue has far-reaching repercussions for the K-pop industry and market, with both sides focusing on NewJeans' commercial success. This high-stakes legal battle has put ADOR's creative and managerial leadership, as well as internal administration, under scrutiny, straining investor trust to its extremes. The entire K-pop sector is now looking forward to seeing how this case will reinterpret the rules of subsidiary independence and the legitimacy of executive exit rights.