Min Hee-jin, former chief executive of girl group NewJeans' agency Ador, delivered more than five hours of emotional courtroom testimony Thursday as she and HYBE continue their bitter legal battle over a put option estimated at about 26 billion won ($20 million). Min accused HYBE, the parent company of Ador, of undermining her work with NewJeans and said she never imagined the company would betray her. The Seoul Central District Court’s civil division held the third hearing in the case concerning Min’s attempt to invalidate the termination of the shareholders’ agreement with HYBE, as well as her demand that the company honor the put option. Min, who took the stand herself, broke down in tears at several points during the session. Min described herself as “someone who values reputation and creative quality more than money,” adding that HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk had initially insisted she start Ador with zero equity in exchange for receiving trainees. She said she ultimately agreed to stock options instead and stressed that she did not enter the shareholders’ agreement for fina
