Min Hee-jin determined to 'go all the way' despite death threats and stalkers

Min Hee-jin received death threats and has even been followed on the streets, but she remains determined to "go all the way." 

"I was recently followed by someone while I was in a taxi," Min said on Tuesday evening during a livestream with music critic Kim Young-dae.

"The taxi driver informed me. A car was driving so close that it seemed very strange. The driver tried to swerve and change direction, but they still followed. I got out of the taxi, took a picture and called the police immediately." 

"I've also been receiving death threats. So many unbelievable things are happening. But I know that I'm not destined to die," Min added with a laugh.  

Tuesday's livestream came just a few hours after a local court dismissed her request to be reinstated as the CEO of NewJeans' agency, ADOR, by the company board.

Min had filed the injunction after ADOR's board of directors voted to remove her as CEO, replacing her with Kim Ju-young, HYBE's head HR officer, as the new CEO in August.  

She sought reinstatement, arguing that her dismissal violated her shareholder agreement with HYBE and contradicted a prior court decision from May 30, which prohibited voting to remove her as CEO.   

In an attempt to compromise with Min, ADOR's board voted on Oct. 17 to extend her term, which was originally set to expire on Nov. 1.

Following Tuesday's ruling, Min's legal representation from Shin & Kim said that if ADOR's board does not reinstate her as CEO at its Oct. 30 meeting, Min will "execute her rights as stated in the shareholders’ contract."  

"We urge HYBE to make a wise decision, not only to honor the shareholders’ contract but for the benefit of NewJeans and ADOR," Shin & Kim said in a press release.  

Earlier on Tuesday, HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang apologized for an executive who had compiled derogatory remarks about K-pop artists from other agencies. The executive has been removed from his post but not dismissed from the company.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]