US court allegations could bolster Min’s claim that Hybe breached trust, a key issue in her W26b put option lawsuit
Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin is set to appear on a live YTN Radio program Friday to address allegations raised in the recent US court filings that link TAG PR, a former Hybe subsidiary, to an alleged coordinated online smear campaign targeting her.
Min, who is currently engaged in a 26 billion won ($17.6 million) put option lawsuit against Hybe, is expected to comment publicly for the first time on claims outlined in an amended complaint filed in a New York state court on Dec. 8. The lawsuit, initially brought by US public relations firm Jonesworks and its founder Stephanie Jones, accuses TAG PR executives of orchestrating systematic online attacks against competitors and other individuals.
If it is established through the US court proceedings that a PR firm once under Hybe operated websites designed to defame Min, it would serve as key evidence that Hybe deliberately undermined trust and induced a contractual breach. Hybe has maintained that it lawfully terminated its shareholder agreement with Min last year, claiming she attempted to seize control of Ador and caused damage to the company. On that basis, Hybe argues that Min’s contract was voided and that her 26 billion won put option rights were extinguished.
According to court documents, Jonesworks alleged that from May last year, TAG PR founder Melissa Nathan and other defendants carried out a coordinated smear campaign aimed at undermining Jonesworks and poaching its clients. Jonesworks is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages in the suit.
Jonesworks further claimed that TAG PR affiliates simultaneously used rumor-based allegations, online posts and media articles to attack Jonesworks and others, including Hollywood actors and public figures. The alleged tactics involved anonymous websites, social media accounts and online news platforms working in tandem.
One section of the complaint drew particular attention by listing examples of allegedly fabricated attack websites. Among them was “minheejin.net,” described in the filing as a site targeting Min. Jonesworks also listed similar websites allegedly targeting US actress Alexa Nikolas, influencer Paige Jimenez and environmental activist Tamara Rubin, asserting that TAG PR was behind their creation.
The minheejin.net website is no longer accessible, making its contents difficult to verify. However, domain records obtained through Whois show that the site was registered on Sept. 27 last year, shortly after Hybe acquired a controlling stake in TAG PR, and was deleted exactly one year later on Sept. 27.
Hybe America, Hybe’s US arm, acquired a 51 percent stake in TAG PR in August last year, making it a subsidiary. Hybe later disclosed in its third-quarter filing that it had sold its entire stake in the PR firm. The operational period of the minheejin.net domain broadly overlaps with the timeline of Hybe’s acquisition and subsequent divestment of TAG PR.
Jonesworks argued in the complaint that the alleged attack websites shared identical structural features, scripts and digital fingerprints. According to the filing, digital forensic analysis was conducted on a mobile phone returned by a former Jonesworks employee who had been dismissed for suspected information leaks.
The analysis allegedly revealed similarities in website layouts, writing patterns and planning documents, including proposals for launching attack sites, pitching media narratives and spreading content through social media. The evidence was formally submitted through the US discovery process, under which the submission of false evidence can result in severe legal penalties, including automatic loss of the case and potential criminal consequences.
Hybe said the matter arises from a legal dispute that is unrelated to Hybe or Hybe America and reflects the claims of a single party.
Min’s legal team views the case as evidence supporting claims that she was subjected to an organized smear campaign linked to Hybe. They have cited the allegations alongside a recent ruling that cleared Min of breach of trust charges, arguing that the attacks against her were based on false information.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
