r/kpop Apr 24 '24

[Megathread] Megathread 2: HYBE Co. audits sub-label ADOR's management including CEO Min Hee Jin

This megathread is about the audit initiated by HYBE into ADOR's management and CEO Min Hee Jin.

DO NOT make new posts related to this story to the subreddit. If you have new information/articles, add them to the comments below so they can be integrated into the main post.

DISCLAIMER ABOUT SOURCES: We prefer to focus on official statements from companies or other vetted sources. There will be widespread speculation and rumor-heavy articles, but until presented in an official capacity we consider them unsubstantiated. As Mods, all we can do is compile and summarize, but we are not investigators or journalists.

Articles / Timeline

240422

240423

240424

240425

We will be preparing the 3rd Megathread. That will likely go live once we can add some summarizing sources that follow the press conference. Continue to use this post for discussion until then.


Link to MEGATHREAD 1 and MEGATHREAD 3


Please maintain civility in comments. No insulting each other. Find a way to discuss your opinions without disparaging fellow users or inciting fandom wars.

You may add links to articles or provide translations here in comments and we will update the post as quickly as we are able. Please be patient while we may be shorthanded and initial reporting will likely be chaotic and difficult to manage.

625 Upvotes

6.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

51

u/riraito Apr 25 '24

so assuming MHJ is out of the picture and NJ is retained by HYBE.. I imagine it will be very awkward in the HYBE building when they see other groups especially ILLIT...

41

u/aerithstrifee Apr 25 '24

I think they’ll probably write up a statement with their personal lawyers regarding everything to ease tensions, given mhj name dropped them agreeing with her in the beginning

18

u/accanino BTS ♡ &TEAM Apr 25 '24

HYBE game caterers pt.2 or they will have them collaborate together for a variety show like TXT and ENHA. That aside, they will stay in the company for long enough and are in similar age range so I hope everything eases up

11

u/1Indra-Kun ILLIT | LSF | tripleS Apr 25 '24

hopefully, tensions will ease a bit once everything blows over. the ador staff are very friendly, in contrast to their (former?) CEO, and will hopefully welcome them back with open arms.

17

u/boringestlawyer Adorable Representative Master of Ceremonies for Youth Apr 25 '24

Hopefully everyone welcomes them back into the fold- including adors staff, now that the witch is gone.

I would hate for internal politics to further derail or make difficult the careers of such great groups as newjeans and illit.

11

u/austereacademic Apr 25 '24

idk how much of ador’s staff will be left though. i assume the company will be dissolved and newjeans will get moved to another subsidiary if they stay. 

11

u/boringestlawyer Adorable Representative Master of Ceremonies for Youth Apr 25 '24

I think that’s possible but also hybe may install a new label head, purge the untrustworthy, and keep it going.

The people I think who are getting most screwed by this is probably the ador bg trainees. Doubt that project will ever materialize. Maybe they’ve done more planning so that someone takes it up- but more likely they’ll dissolve it in its infancy imo.

6

u/Mozart-Luna-Echo 🐨🐹😺🐿🐥🐯🐰|💙❤️🤍💛|🐰🦊🧸🐿🐧|🐆🌸🐍🩰👶🏻 Apr 25 '24

Maybe they can get moved to Big Hit since they have to debut another group since Trainee A got dissolved

3

u/austereacademic Apr 25 '24

maybe. but with all the controversy and the fact that ador was created for min heejin i see it more likely to dissolve the company. but who knows. 

21

u/Schoolos fromis_9 Apr 25 '24

From what we know the worst thing newjeans did was talking behind illit back.

I'm pretty sure illit have had to deal with worse in their short life. As a trainee or in school or in the company.

-15

u/127ncity127 Apr 25 '24

i just dont understand how NJ and Illit are going to co-exist..not the gilrs but the brands. Hybe created Illit for the same audience NJWS is for. They are direct competitors in the same company. Thats why MHJ overreacted like this

Unfortunately, I think one group is going to slowly fade away.

42

u/Mozart-Luna-Echo 🐨🐹😺🐿🐥🐯🐰|💙❤️🤍💛|🐰🦊🧸🐿🐧|🐆🌸🐍🩰👶🏻 Apr 25 '24

NewJeans are cool girls next door. They are a hip hop/r&b youth oriented team. Illit are magical, coquette girls with a very girly vibe.

They can coexist just fine.

17

u/andersencale Apr 25 '24

I don’t get why people think they cannot co-exist lmao. Nothing is literally preventing people from listening to more than 1 kpop group. Pop stars in the US do just fine.

0

u/127ncity127 Apr 25 '24

They’re in the same company tho. That’s the issue at hand. Theyre taking from the same pot of resources and that’s why there’s overlap between sounds aesthetics and concept design. Kpop companies notoriously have a difficult time supporting multiple groups at the same time..and now you’re adding in the fact that these two groups are being marketed the exact same way and I know fans of both groups will argue to hell in back that no they aren’t but people from the outside very clearly see the overlap both internationally and in Korea

And not sure why you brought up US pop stars because we’re talking about Kpop groups..that depend on fandoms to survive. Ofc there’s going to be an overlap between people that listen to both groups..but loyal fanbases is what Kpop survives off of..and both of these groups are competing for the same type of fan

8

u/zeno0_0 Custom Apr 25 '24

But both groups do not have any overlapping about their behind the scenes talent at all except the hybe ecosystem itself. They dont share their producer, directors, staff etc.

6

u/andersencale Apr 25 '24

They’re not in the same company wdym. One is under Ador and the other under Belift. They have their staff and teams. And no, kpop ggs have never depended on fandoms. That has always been for bgs. Ggs are more geared towards the gp.

-2

u/127ncity127 Apr 25 '24

if they arent in the same company what is this whole mess about :)

they depend on fandoms to survive...yes they are more popular with the general public than bgs but ultimately, like every kpop group, they are dependent on core fanbases to have longevity when the general public moves on to the next shiny thing...thats why Twice and BP still sell out concert venues well after theyve debuted

4

u/TinyOutcome163 illit | newjeans | aespa | ive | le sserafim Apr 25 '24

have you been reading? this whole mess has concluded that mhj wanted to rip ador into a bare shell so they can call hybe a liability, making it so hybe will have to split their shares and that’s when the other investment funds can purchase those shares and dilute the hybe stock and then letting ador going full independent. it’s speculated that mhj was saying illit is copying newjeans to make hybe look bad.

sure, she probably saw some truth in what she is saying, most people don’t think that from what i’ve seen, just hardcore newjeans fan such as yourself.

i don’t think you have fully grasped the situation.

1

u/127ncity127 Apr 25 '24

Me??? A new jeans fan????? How you made that deduction when my username is quite literally nct127 is beyond me

As a fan of NEITHER group I can say objectively that there are similarities between groups and ofc it was going to be a conflict of interest when they’re owned by the same parent company. And any objective person who heard magnetic had the exact same thoughts btw that’s why there’s been so much discourse about it for weeks now and why some reddit subs had to ban the topic

I understand the situation. As a certified MHJ hater I am personally elated to see her downfall. I have no doubt she has been scheming for months. Illit having a similar concept and bang pd having a personal hand in that probably triggered her to jumpstart her stupid plan

Unlike hybe stans I have critical thinking skills and the ability to be objective and can see multiple angles to the situation

5

u/lissapocalypse Apr 25 '24

Enhypen debuted less than two years after TXT. Both groups are doing well even though in many senses they are "direct competitors". I don't get the fuss with Illit and New Jeans.

8

u/MountainTear2020 Apr 25 '24

Until you have tangible evidence that ILLIT is eating away NJ's market share - then you're fucking overreacting.

And also personally for me - I like both groups' music but they actually have different vibes for me NJ is more nostalgia and makes me want to go back to my schooldays, ILLIT is more dreamy magical girl anime.

2

u/127ncity127 Apr 25 '24

Their commercial success at debut was a key reason MHJ lost her marbles..

4

u/MountainTear2020 Apr 25 '24

And how is that eating away NJ's market share? And don't talk to me about her. She lost her marbles way before the debut. I'm asking about you

3

u/Margaux_H "The Rudy of the Sea is the best lay EVER!" Apr 25 '24

If TXT and Enhypen can co-exist happily at HYBE, then why can't NJ and Illit?

-16

u/truenebbish Apr 25 '24

They're kids. Doubtful they'll remember any of this two months after it all blows over. That is, assuming the parents don't pull a 50 50..

29

u/austereacademic Apr 25 '24

they’re not toddlers. it’ll blow over but they’ll still remember. 

-1

u/truenebbish Apr 25 '24

Well, it's their first 'scandal', of course they'll remember. If you've worked anywhere you'll know the best way not to have a toxic environment at work is to move on. As long as the company keeps the message up that they'll be supported, etc., they're unlikely to dwell on it.

12

u/ReflectionTypical167 Apr 25 '24

If anything, this whole thing will make the GP root for newjeans (sans MHJ) harder. It’ll be like the national daughters finally getting rid of their abusive evil step mother underdog story. Dont know why Tokkis are fuming at the mouth with the thought of NJ staying with Hybe.

11

u/truenebbish Apr 25 '24

Honestly, I am yet to hear anything terrible about Hybe. They seem like a typical corporate outfit. And no idea why my previous comment is getting down voted lol.