Ooak Records to focus on recruiting members for new boy group, agency official confirms
Ooak Records, the new label founded by former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, officially began its activities with a series of teasers released on its social media accounts Thursday — including hints at a future boy group project.
Though the teasers fueled speculation about an imminent group debut, Ooak Records clarified to The Korea Herald that the teaser materials were designed not just to hint at an upcoming boy group but to reflect the label’s broader vision and creative direction.
“We wanted to use the visuals to communicate the overall creative identity of Ooak Records — not just our ambition to launch a new boy group, but also the company’s aesthetic and philosophical direction,” an Ooak Records official said.
The music label also clarified that while it will launch a boy group first, no specific date has been set yet.
“What was released today marks the official launch of Ooak Records,” the official added. “We’re actively recruiting trainees and preparing for a future group debut, but there’s no set timeline as of now.”
Teaser videos were posted at 10 a.m. to both the agency’s and Min’s official social media accounts, stirring speculation about the label’s vision and upcoming artist recruitment.
Among the AI-generated visuals, an image of a digital billboard featuring the word “Wanted” alongside a picture of a male subject and the text “born between 2008–2013, place of birth unknown,” hinted at a global audition effort for boy group members without limitations regarding nationality or background.
One video included a voiceover in French saying, “A lot is coming. All in good time. Keep yourself ready. You’ll like it.” Another showed graffiti in German suggesting “stay tuned — more is coming soon,” while a separate post featured a Hawaiian phrase meaning “beautiful voices and sounds.” Teaser videos also showed Ooak Records stationed in various spots around the world containing distinctive clues pointing to specific countries, including Russia, Vietnam and Greece.
The multilingual elements featured in its teasers nod toward the company’s global outlook and its upcoming slate of projects.
Min had previously confirmed plans to form a boy group in a YouTube interview in December. Since stepping down from her role at Ador, Min has repeatedly hinted at developing a K-pop group that challenges industry norms — with Thursday’s teaser seen as the first concrete step in that direction.
Meanwhile, legal disputes between Min and her former parent company Hybe are ongoing. In October, a court sided with Ador in a lawsuit over the validity of its exclusive contracts with NewJeans members. Ador then filed a countersuit in December seeking damages and penalties totaling 43.1 billion won ($29.4 million) from Min, former NewJeans member Danielle and a family member.
A separate case involving Min’s put option payout — a key issue in Min’s conflict with Hybe — is set to receive its first-instance ruling on Feb. 12.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
