Prosecutor’s Office Clears Min Hee-jin of Charges Over “Witchcraft Management” and Alleged Attempt to Poach NewJeans

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office has dismissed charges against former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin in the case she filed against HYBE executives. The prosecutors determined that while Min Hee-jin’s consultation with a shaman regarding business strategies was factual, HYBE’s claims of “witchcraft management” and attempts to poach NewJeans were exaggerated but not false.

On June 11, the prosecutors announced that they had cleared 10 individuals of all charges, including Park Ji-won, former CEO of HYBE, six other HYBE employees, Kim Tae-ho, CEO of HYBE’s subsidiary BilllieLab, and three BilllieLab employees. The charges Min Hee-jin filed included defamation, obstruction of business, and violations of the Information Communication Network Act. These accusations stemmed from a HYBE press release in April 2024, which alleged that Min Hee-jin ran ADOR based on advice from a shaman and pressured them to terminate contracts with NewJeans.

The prosecutors dismissed the defamation charges, stating that “actual evidence supporting HYBE’s claims, such as records of Min Hee-jin’s discussions with a shaman about business, was confirmed.” They also verified the contents of KakaoTalk messages provided by HYBE, which showed the shaman giving advice to “take control of the company in three years.” Although the prosecutors deemed HYBE’s wording exaggerated, they concluded that it did not constitute false information.

In April 2024, HYBE issued an official press release raising various allegations against former CEO Min Hee-jin. The main accusations included “witchcraft management,” alleging she ran ADOR under a shaman’s guidance, and “attempting to poach NewJeans,” claiming she persuaded the group’s members to end their contracts. Min Hee-jin immediately rejected these claims, describing the shaman as merely an acquaintance and filing lawsuits against HYBE for spreading false information.

The defamation charges against BilllieLab employees were also dismissed. This case arose from BilllieLab releasing a video addressing rumors that their group ILLIT had copied NewJeans’ choreography and style. The prosecutors classified the video as “an expression of opinion rather than a factual claim,” ruling it therefore not constitutive of defamation.

The prosecutors also cleared Min Hee-jin of charges related to unauthorized access to HYBE’s emails and KakaoTalk messages. They determined that HYBE’s access to these communications fell within its legitimate rights as a holding company to monitor and supervise its subsidiaries.

Meanwhile, the dispute between Min Hee-jin and HYBE continues beyond criminal charges in civil litigation. The two parties are separately engaged in civil lawsuits over the payment of stock option fees, with no verdict yet issued.