Min Heejin offers to drop a 25 billion yen claim against HYBE in exchange for ending all related lawsuits, focusing on NewJeans' future.

Min Heejin proposed to HYBE to abandon the put option of 25.6 billion won (about 2.5 billion yen) in exchange for concluding all related lawsuits. Attention is focused on future developments. On the afternoon of the 25th, a press conference was held by Min Heejin, former representative of ADOR and current representative of ooak records, at a certain location in Jongno District, Seoul. She held the conference to explain her future plans. On that day, she mistakenly went to the neighboring building and appeared a little late, out of breath. She told the gathered reporters, 'Today I will talk about something very important, so I will read while explaining. I hope you will listen attentively. Thank you for coming,' and opened her laptop to begin reading her prepared statement. She reflected, 'First of all, I express deep respect and gratitude to the court for clearly confirming the essence of the case in the judgment. It has been a long tunnel from the provisional victory in 2024, the non-prosecution in 2025, to the first trial victory in 2026.' Min Heejin stated, 'The court clarified that the exciting frame of seizing management rights and tampering was an illusion, and acknowledged that my awareness of the issues regarding creative ethics was a management decision that should be naturally made by the representative of a company. The result of this lawsuit was like a comfort that washed away the wounds of the past two years for me. I feel sorry for the fatigue I unintentionally caused to the public during that process.' She continued, 'Now, I want to repay that debt with a new vision for K-POP. The reason I stand here today is to inform you that I have decided to exchange the 25.6 billion won I gain from winning for other values.' She stated, '25.6 billion won is a huge amount that most people cannot obtain in a lifetime. It is also very precious funding for me, who has just started anew. However, I have a value that I desire far more than this huge amount of money, so I held this press conference to make a meaningful proposal to HYBE.' Min Heejin explained, 'The most urgent reason for my decision is the members of NewJeans. I propose to stop all ongoing civil and criminal lawsuits in exchange for abandoning the 25.6 billion won and to conclude all disputes. This proposal includes not only myself but also the members of NewJeans, external partner companies, former ADOR employees, and the conclusion of all lawsuits and accusations against the fandom that has been involved and hurt in this dispute.' She suggested to HYBE to conclude all lawsuits. The lawsuits Min Heejin proposed to conclude include the confirmation lawsuit for the cancellation of the shareholder agreement filed by HYBE against Min Heejin, the lawsuit for the payment of stock purchase price filed by Min Heejin against HYBE, legal disputes between ADOR and the dolphin kidnapping group, and the damages lawsuit filed by ADOR against Daniel, Min Heejin, and Daniel's family. Min Heejin stated, 'Only when all these lawsuits and disputes are concluded can artists, their families, and the fandom avoid further indiscriminate noise. I cannot bear to see the reality where the five members who should be happily standing on stage have to stand in court instead. The members on stage will suffer, and fans watching this will not be able to view this situation with happiness. And with such a torn heart, we can never create a good culture. As I have said many times, there are many values more important to me than money. Now that my authenticity has been confirmed, I want to show that there are values more precious than money in this world.' Furthermore, she expressed, 'I think the members of NewJeans are really suffering right now, but I want to convey that there are always adults who are with them and send my support.' She added, 'I hope my decision to exchange the huge amount of 25.6 billion won for other values will elevate the growth and reconciliation of the entire K-POP industry. Where I and HYBE should be is not in court but on the stage of creation. I had a creative vision when I launched NewJeans. I am very disappointed that I could not fulfill that, but that is why I want to ask that the promise made by the current ADOR in court, 'We will cherish NewJeans when they return,' becomes a reality.' She also stated, 'I want the five members of NewJeans to gather and create an environment where they can freely expand their dreams. Creating a path for artists to shine again is the only role that adults should fulfill. The 25.6 billion won I receive is not greater than restoring a healthy ecosystem for K-POP and the peaceful daily lives of artists. From now on, I hope we can all do our best in our respective places to deliver better stages to our fans. I propose that we adults return to our original form of competing in music and on stage, not in court. The longer this dispute drags on, the more the artists, who are the protagonists of this industry, will suffer.' Min Heejin mentioned HYBE and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, emphasizing, 'In the future, I want to meet in the creative field. In July 2025, the Commercial Act will be amended to strengthen the fiduciary duty of shareholders. Choosing reconciliation to minimize the risks of the entertainment industry during a time when corporate responsibility is becoming stricter will be the wisest management decision for shareholders and fans.' Finally, she stated, 'From now on, I will strip off the tag of former ADOR representative and walk a new path as the representative of ooak records. I will devote all my energy to nurturing new artists who will represent the K-POP industry and to business in new directions. From today onward, I hope there will be no more press conferences like this.' She concluded, 'I will meet you not in the press conference room or in court, but in the creative field. I will focus on what I do best, which is creativity. I hope that my sincerity is conveyed today and that it becomes a turning point for the healthy breathing of the K-POP ecosystem. Today, the KOSPI has surpassed 6,000. I hope HYBE will consider my proposal for coexistence in a positive direction.' The press conference ended after about six minutes without accepting questions from the gathered reporters. In response, a lawyer stated, 'Please send questions via email,' but some reporters expressed dissatisfaction. Following this conference, HYBE commented briefly, 'We have nothing to convey.' As attention is focused on future developments, various voices have emerged regarding Min Heejin's attire. On this day, she wore a high-brand logo T-shirt under a black jacket, which has drawn interest as it is from a brand for which BTS's V serves as an ambassador, raising questions about whether there was any special intention in wearing the item. Previously, on the 20th, V revealed that the content of his KakaoTalk conversation with Min Heejin was adopted as evidence in court, stating, 'It is part of a private daily conversation exchanged with empathy as acquaintances. I have no intention of standing on either side. However, I am very confused that the content of the relevant conversation was submitted as evidence without my consent.'