The war between HYBE and its former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin is back in the headlines. HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Min, seeking more than 4.2 billion KRW (approximately $3 million USD) in repayment for a personal loan he gave her back in 2023.
According to a Biz Korea report published on October 16, the loan was originally 3.7 billion KRW (approximately $2.6 million USD) — money lent to help Min purchase 573,160 shares in ADOR, giving her a 17.8% stake in the company.
From payment order to full lawsuit
The legal path has been winding. Bang first filed for a payment order in April, asking Min to repay the money. In May, the Seoul Western District Court ordered Min Hee Jin to pay him 4.2106 billion KRW.
But Min challenged the payment order in July, and that challenge pushed the case into a formal civil lawsuit — where it now sits.
The amount Bang is seeking is about 510.6 million KRW more than the original loan. That extra sum reportedly equals three years of simple interest at an annual rate of 4.6 percent. However, the actual interest rate the two sides agreed upon, and the specific method used to calculate what is owed, has not been confirmed.
A rivalry that won’t end
The lawsuit lands just months after Min scored a major legal victory against HYBE over her put option — making this latest move feel like the next chapter in an already exhausting saga rather than the start of a new one.
From the explosive boardroom battles of 2024 to dueling court filings in 2026, the Bang–Min feud has become one of the defining dramas of the K-pop industry. Both sides have shown no willingness to back down, and with millions of dollars and reputations on the line, this one isn’t going away quietly.
The outcome of the lawsuit remains to be seen.
Source: Koreaboo — read the full story there.
