Former SM Entertainment Employee Defends Min Hee Jin Amidst Her Feud With HYBE

This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.

ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin has been in the spotlight recently due to her ongoing legal feud with HYBE. Allegedly, Min Hee Jin accused other K-Pop groups of copying her, consulted a shaman for business decisions, asked for the right to terminate NewJeans’ contract unilaterally, without the need to go through HYBE, lying, and more.

ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin at the press conference

The public image of Min Hee Jin has been mixed. Her casual appearance and constant swearing during press conferences didn’t show her in the best light. Some people who previously worked with her also didn’t speak highly of her. One said, “She’s the worst villain in the office… She’s really a crazy b*tch,” while others swore never to work with her again.

I’m not kidding why is min heejin sO UNSERIOUS ??!;;&&:@:&: pic.twitter.com/q786hEYiXa

— nei⁷ (@honeyjamnamjoon) April 25, 2024

However, not everyone who has worked with Min Hee Jin shares this sentiment. Former SM Entertainment employee David C., who worked at the company for over four years, has now spoken up on behalf of her. He was an EVP of Creative Contents and Producing, Head of Producing, Producer, and A&R throughout the years.

David recently wrote a long post via LinkedIn, reacting to the “chaotic dispute between HYBE and Min Hee-jin.” He confessed that she was reputed as a “challenging person to collaborate with,” but she was a “trendsetter.”

After viewing Min Hee-jin’s press conference, I’ve jotted down my thoughts, experiences working with her at SM, and my feelings about this chaotic dispute between HYBE and Min Hee-Jin. I also wish to convey my convictions to HYBE officials.

During my time at SM, Min Hee-jin was reputed to be a challenging person to collaborate with. (Well, I was a difficult person to work with as well.) Yet, she has been an authentic, artist-minded creative director, pioneering the visual direction and unique concepts of numerous K-pop artists. Truly a trendsetter.

— David C.

He credits Min Hee Jin for his “reality check,” as she told him a project would fail. He ended up quitting SM Entertainment and ultimately “ventured into a music-related startup.”

When launching SM Station (a digital music project that undertook to release one digital single along with a music video every Friday), I needed her confirmation regarding music video wardrobes. Her initial words to me were, ‘This project will fail. Why are we even doing this?’ Despite my strong sense of pride, it felt more like a harsh reality check than a blow to my ego. Exceptional production demands unwavering artistry and thoughtful consideration of the message to the public. However, with weekly releases, I found myself working tirelessly day and night to meet deadlines, forgetting the core essence and resorting to mechanical production. It dawned on me that I was merely working for validation. It made me reconsider what I was truly doing. Even years later, those words echoed, making me realize I was hesitating to pursue what I genuinely desired. Eventually, feeling compelled to pursue my dreams, I left SM and ventured into a music-related startup.

— David C.

David recognized that she might seem “brash and unyielding” but is visionary. He believes that NewJeans‘ success is not solely due to HYBE but also Min Hee Jin’s talent.

Min Hee-jin may come across as brash and unyielding, but without her vision and efforts, NewJeans wouldn’t exist. It’s not just about HYBE’s resources; it’s unimaginable without Min Hee-jin. It’s a well-known fact among music industry insiders that Bang Si-hyuk embraced her because he highly valued Min Hee-jin’s vision and talent.

— David C.

David concluded by addressing HYBE. He feels that the company allowed the feud to go public and escalate unnecessarily and that there should be an official apology, as artists, fans, and more have been negatively affected.

I wish HYBE hadn’t escalated the confrontation with Min Hee-jin to this extent. This dispute has already caused significant pain to many K-pop artists and fans. Family matters should be resolved within the family, and I hope this dispute doesn’t escalate further. The actions damaging the genre of K-pop should stop here. I sincerely hope both sides find a way forward. A public apology regarding the hurt caused to various artists and fans, and minimizing the already occurred damage, seem like crucial tasks.

— David C.