HYBE president Bang Si-hyuk has been accused of `copying` NewJeans
Social media is in uproar right now over reports that HYBE, the company that is home to global K-pop supergroup BTS, has initiated an audit of one of it's labels, ADOR. ADOR is a HYBE label that Min Heejin founded in 2021 and is home to NewJeans. HYBE holds an 80 per cent stake of ADOR, while the remaining 20 per cent is held by Min Heejin and the ADOR management.
On April 22 it was reported that HYBE has initiated an audit of ADOR and also asked HeeJin to step down. The audit has reportedly been initiated after HYBE detected attempts by ADOR to become independent.
HYBE reportedly called for a meeting of the shareholders to hold the ADOR management accountable and to also appoint an additional ADOR director from HYBE as both of ADOR's current directors came to the company with Min Heejin from SM Entertainment, according to Soompi. HYBE has also supposedly sent a document calling for Min Hee Jin's resignation as ADOR's CEO.
In response to the reports, HYBE briefly commented, "It is true that an audit was initiated."
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In response to the audit, ADOR has released an official announcement refuting claims of a coup against HYBE. In turn, they have accused HYBE's president Bang Si-hyuk, the man who put BTS together, of 'copying' NewJeans to produce music for another girl band, ILLIT, which debuted under the HYBE label Belift Lab. HYBE Corporation has multiple labels functioning under them.
Meanwhile, netizens are having a field day generating memes based on this fallout for social media.
Min Heejin is a renowned producer who gained fame at SM Entertainment handling concepts and branding for groups like Girls' Generation, SHINee, and EXO. After moving to HYBE, she was responsible for branding and designing the new Yongsan headquarters and in 2022, debuted the girl group NewJeans, creating a flagship girl group for HYBE.