Bang Si-hyuk Seeks ₩4.21 Billion From Min Hee-jin as HYBE Appeal Gets December Hearing

HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk is pursuing approximately ₩4.21 billion in loan repayment from former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, according to an October 16 investigation by BizHankook. The newly reported civil lawsuit comes as a separate legal dispute between Min and HYBE moves toward its first appellate hearing in December. The loan dispute dates to March 2023, when Min purchased 573,160 shares in ADOR, representing a 17.8% stake, from HYBE for approximately ₩3.74 billion. Bang personally lent her ₩3.7 billion to finance the purchase. In April 2026, Bang applied for a payment order seeking ₩4.2106 billion, approximately ₩510.6 million above the original principal. The Seoul Western District Court issued the order in May. Min objected in July, causing the payment order to lose effect and the dispute to proceed as an ordinary civil lawsuit. The case was subsequently transferred to the Seoul Central District Court under the parties' loan agreement. The payment order is not a final judgment establishing Min's repayment liability. Min's representatives respond Following the October 16 reporting, a representative of Min's company, OOAK Records, argued that the loan dispute should ultimately be settled against the proceeds of her separate put-option litigation with HYBE. In February, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that HYBE must pay Min approximately ₩25.6 billion following her exercise of a contractual right to sell her ADOR shares. HYBE appealed that ruling, and enforcement of the payment judgment has been stayed pending further proceedings. Min's representatives characterized the pursuit of a separate loan claim while the larger dispute remains unresolved as contradictory. Their proposed offset remains a position advanced by Min's side, rather than an established judicial outcome. Shareholders' agreement appeal set for December In a separate October 16 development, the Seoul High Court scheduled December 17 for the first appellate hearing concerning HYBE's attempt to establish that its shareholders' agreement with Min had been validly terminated. HYBE previously argued that Min breached the agreement through alleged efforts to take control of ADOR and NewJeans. The February lower-court judgment rejected HYBE's termination claim. HYBE subsequently appealed. The December hearing concerns the shareholders' agreement litigation. It is not a hearing in Bang's newly reported personal loan lawsuit. Together, the developments underscore the continuing financial and contractual disputes surrounding ADOR's former leadership, with separate questions of personal debt, shareholder rights and contractual termination remaining before the courts.