Min Heejin vs Source Music Trial Advances as NewJeans Loses Contract Case and KakaoTalk Evidence Is Admitted
The legal battle involving former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, girl group NewJeans, and HYBE subsidiary Source Musicis entering a new phase. Following NewJeans’ clear loss in their contract validity lawsuit against ADOR, attention is now shifting to Min Hee-jin’s separate legal dispute with Source Music—where key KakaoTalk messages have officially been admitted as evidence.
On November 7, the Seoul Western District Court’s Civil Division 12 will hold the fourth hearing in Source Music’s ₩500 million damages lawsuit against Min Hee-jin. Filed in July 2024, the suit centers on Min’s past statements alleging that Source Music neglected certain NewJeans members, broke its promise to debut NewJeans as HYBE’s first girl group, and restricted promotions in favor of LE SSERAFIM. Source Music argues that these claims caused substantial harm to LE SSERAFIM.
Min Heejin KakaoTalk Evidence at the Center of the Dispute
The court’s key focus will be the legitimacy and admissibility of Min Hee-jin’s internal KakaoTalk messages.
During the second hearing last May, both sides clashed over whether the messages were improperly obtained. However, in the third hearing held in August, the court ruled otherwise, stating:
“Given the circumstances—including the fact that a KakaoTalk administrator provided the password—it is difficult to conclude this case constitutes a violation of the Communications Privacy Act.”
With that decision, Min’s KakaoTalk logs were formally accepted as evidence, strengthening Source Music’s position.
This development follows the recent ruling in ADOR’s contract dispute, where the court sided with ADOR and rejected nearly all claims presented by NewJeans and Min Hee-jin. The court also acknowledged Min’s so-called “KakaoTalk evidence” in that case, noting that her internal communications—covering issues about Source Music, LE SSERAFIM, HYBE PR, and other controversies—could not be dismissed as illegitimate.
A Parallel Legal Battle: Min Hee-jin vs. BELIFT LAB
Min Hee-jin is also embroiled in a separate lawsuit with BELIFT LAB, which filed a ₩2 billion damages suit after Min publicly alleged that BELIFT’s girl group ILLIT had “copied NewJeans in every aspect.”
The fourth hearing for that case is scheduled for November 14.
What’s Next
As NewJeans’ claims continue to be rejected across multiple court decisions, this upcoming hearing is expected to have significant implications for both Min Hee-jin and Source Music. With the KakaoTalk evidence now officially recognized, the court will proceed to evaluate the substance of Source Music’s damages claim.
The outcome may influence ongoing tensions within the HYBE ecosystem—and could further shape public perception of the disputes surrounding NewJeans’ debut history, ADOR, and its former executives.
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photo credit: Ilgan Sports & Star News
