The Korea Entertainment Management Association (KEMA)’s Special Disciplinary Mediation Ethics Committee issued a statement on alleged “tampering” involving NewJeans and called on former ADOR CEO and current OOAK Records CEO Min Hee-jin to publicly clarify her position.
In a March 3 statement, the committee said, “The facts around the NewJeans tampering allegations raised in the media have not been fully verified,” adding, “A clear explanation of the relevant facts is needed.”
Min previously proposed dropping her claims to the 25.6 billion won she won in the first trial of the HYBE put-option lawsuit, on the condition that all five NewJeans members continue activities, and asked to withdraw the suit through a settlement. HYBE has not officially responded to the settlement terms Min presented at her press conference. As that silence continues, KEMA’s committee released a statement stressing that “the NewJeans tampering allegations must be clarified,” drawing attention to its timing and intent.
Entertainment media reports have alleged that Min was involved behind the scenes in NewJeans’ November 28 “contract termination declaration” press conference. According to those reports, she allegedly took part in drafting the script and coordinating the distribution timing.
The committee stated, “If the reports are true, this would be a disruptive act violating the principle of good faith,” adding, “It could constitute classic tampering, a chronic illegal and unfair practice long criticized in the entertainment industry.” The committee urged “a clear explanation of the facts and, if true, appropriate accountability and an official apology.”
The committee also raised issues with reports that Min met Japanese racing figure “Go Kazumichi,” and that Bonnie Chan Woo, CEO of “Complex China,” had contact with “NewJeans representatives.” The committee said, “If discussions took place with outside figures while exclusive contracts remained valid, that is a grave matter,” and requested an official explanation of “who the ‘NewJeans representatives’ were at the time.”
The committee cautioned against reducing the issue to a personal feud or a money dispute. “If this is brushed aside for image control while unresolved, it could shake contract order and trust across the K-entertainment industry,” it said, urging “a leading company in the field to use this moment to establish clear principles.”
Photo = Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)