K-pop’s leading company has declared war on itself. This never-seen interview profiles the creative legend at the center of it

Min Hee-jin created the K-pop sensation NewJeans inside Hybe. But now Hybe wants her out. In this extended Q&A, Min shared how she built the band and what she was planning next—before the conflict erupted.

In the K-pop capital of Seoul, a high-stakes battle is unfolding. Min Hee-jin, a household name in the world of Korean music, is a celebrated creative director behind some of the biggest groups from the past two decades. Her latest, and arguably greatest, creation is a girl group called NewJeans, which she launched in 2022 under the company Hybe—the same company behind BTS. 

At Hybe, Min ran both the creative and business side of her own label called ADOR, or All Doors One Room, which generated $83 million in 2023 through NewJeans’ record sales and its brand ambassadorships with both mainstream brands like Apple and Coca-Cola, and the luxury labels Chanel, Gucci, Burberry, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. The group has stood out with its retro pop songs and nostalgic visuals, and landed on “best of 2023” lists from publications including Pitchfork and Rolling Stone. (ADOR’s unprecedented accomplishments earned HYBE its spot on our 2024 Most Innovative Companies list.)