Min Hee Jin wins defamation lawsuit in Seoul

Min Hee Jin, the former CEO of ADOR, has won a defamation lawsuit against online trolls. On March 19, a Seoul Central District Court judge ordered eight individuals to pay damages ranging from ₩50,000 to ₩100,000, which is about $34 to $68 each. The ruling is final, as neither side has appealed. Min Hee Jin is expected to pursue more lawsuits against other online trolls. The comments that led to the lawsuit became widespread after HYBE accused her of trying to take control of ADOR. When she held her second press conference, many hurtful comments were posted online. Min Hee Jin sought ₩3 million in damages from each commenter for psychological harm. The court found some comments to be defamatory but reduced the compensation amounts based on their severity. For instance, one comment received ₩100,000 for being particularly offensive, while another less severe comment earned only ₩50,000. Some remarks were deemed harsh opinions and did not qualify for compensation. In August 2023, Min Hee Jin was removed as CEO of ADOR. Soon after, members of the girl group NewJeans, under ADOR, decided to end their contracts with the company. ADOR responded with its own lawsuit to confirm the contract's validity and to prevent NewJeans from signing deals without its approval. Despite these legal issues, NewJeans has continued their activities independently. The group has now rebranded as NJZ and is scheduled to perform at 'ComplexCon' in Hong Kong on March 23, where they will release new music. The first hearing for the contract dispute will take place on April 3.