Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of Adore and current head of OK Records, has emerged victorious in her lawsuit against HYBE regarding a claim for stock trading payments. The Seoul Central District Court ruled on December 12 that the defendants, namely HYBE, must pay Min Hee-jin 25.5 billion won, along with 1.7 billion won to another shareholder and 1.4 billion won to another. The ruling provided a clear victory for Min and her associates, particularly amidst ongoing tensions between her and HYBE since 2024 related to management disputes and the contract cancellation of the idol group New Jeans.

The ruling is significant as it confirms the validity of Min's put option related to her 13% stake in Adore, a subsidiary of HYBE that manages New Jeans. The put option, established through a shareholders’ agreement in March 2023, would allow her to sell her shares at an agreed price based on the average operating profit of the two prior years. However, HYBE contended that the agreement was invalidated prior to the exercise of the put option, sparking a series of legal battles between both parties.

The court examined the legitimacy of HYBE's termination of the shareholders' agreement, which was a pivotal issue in the proceedings. With this ruling, Min's position is reinforced as she had previously been ousted from her role and faced significant conflict over the management direction of Adore, highlighting the divisions within HYBE that may affect future operations. The outcome underscores the importance of shareholder rights and contractual obligations within the competitive and high-stakes K-pop industry.