Amid all the commotion and hype for NJZ’s upcoming debut, there must be some of you wondering: where is Min Hee Jin? Why is she nowhere to find, and what is happening with this prominent K-pop creative director? Well, it appears that the former ADOR CEO has been extremely busy rearranging her life behind the shadow. Recent reports revealed that Min Hee Jin has recently won a defamation lawsuit, creating a new start amid the ongoing controversy.
But does it mean this will be a good beginning for her next battle? Join us in a complete discussion below.
Min Hee Jin Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Hate Comments
As members of NJZ (NewJeans) are gearing up for their upcoming debut at ComplexCon, former ADOR CEO Min Heejin has successfully won her own battle.
On March 19, Herald Corp exclusively reported that former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin managed to win the defamation lawsuit amid the ongoing controversy. According to a legal source, Seoul Central District Court Judge Ahn Hyun Jin decided to partially rule in her favor against 8 individuals who posted malicious comments against Min Hee Jin.
This defamation lawsuit originally started when Min Hee Jin faced massive controversy over her ADOR management dispute with HYBE. The controversy then gained public attention, leading Min Hee Jin to hold two press conferences to defend herself.
Yet, after the second one, many people responded to various news articles by posting malicious remarks in the comment sections.
Therefore, Min Hee Jin immediately took legal action against these individuals, suing them for a defamation lawsuit. In court, her lawyers argued that the hurtful comments had caused her emotional distress and requested 3 million KRW per person as compensation.
Different Perceptions of “Malicious Comments” in South Korea
Despite her immense compensation request, the Seoul court decided to partially rule in favor of Min Hee Jin.
While the commenters were deemed at fault, the court limited the amount of damage compensations to between 50,000 – 100,000 KRW per person (approximately 34.3–68.61 USD). Why? Because apparently, according to South Korean judicial precedents, compensation for psychological damages is generally not set at high amounts, and not everything can fall under the “malicious comments” category on the face of South Korean law.
In fact, the biggest fine was 100,000 KRW (68.1 USD) for commenters who wrote direct insults to Min Hee Jin. Meanwhile, other comments led to fines of 50,000 KRW (about $34.3 USD).
However, comments like “cunning b****” were not seen as defamation. The court explained that there are different perceptions of what is considered “malicious comments” in South Korea.
Therefore, while these words might seem insulting, they were not overly harsh or malicious in the face of Korean law. Instead, they were considered strongly worded opinions rather than a serious attack on Min Hee Jin’s rights.
A Bright Future Amid Controversy?
Finally, Min Hee Jin’s legal victory marks a small but significant step in reclaiming her reputation.
Indeed, the financial penalties for the malicious commenters seem to be relatively low. However, the lawsuit itself has set an important example, declaring that online defamation will not go unchallenged.
And in an industry where public opinion can make or break a career, Min Hee Jin’s decision to take legal action signals her unwillingness to be silenced by cyber harassment.
However, this is just one battle in a much larger war. The ongoing dispute between Min Hee Jin and HYBE is far from over, and with the looming court ruling regarding NJZ’s future, the stakes remain high.
If ADOR succeeds in preventing the former NewJeans members from promoting under their new name, it could reshape the K-pop industry’s power dynamics.
At the same time, nothing seems to be clear about Min Hee Jin’s next move. While her legal victories suggest she is still fighting for her place in the industry, she has kept a low profile since her departure from ADOR.
However, regardless of what happens next, Min Hee Jin certainly doesn’t intend to back down. And as K-pop fans eagerly await NJZ’s debut and the resolution of the ongoing legal drama, we are all wondering: what will happen with the former ADOR CEO? Will this defamation lawsuit win become the start of Min Hee Jin bright future amid the controversy? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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