Min Hee-jin
Overview
Min Hee-jin (Min Hee-jin, born August 16, 1979) is a South Korean music producer, art director, and business executive. At SM Entertainment, she worked as a creative director, overseeing the concepts and visual direction of numerous K-pop groups such as Girls' Generation, SHINee, f(x), EXO, and Red Velvet. In 2019, she moved to HYBE (then Big Hit Entertainment) and established the new label ADOR, launching the girl group NewJeans in 2022, presenting a new paradigm in the K-pop industry. She is regarded as a 'visual innovator of K-pop' for her unique artwork, storytelling, and stylish marketing.
Main Content
Early Life and Career
Min Hee-jin was born in Seoul in 1979 and had a strong interest in art and design from a young age. After graduating from Seoul Institute of the Arts with a degree in Visual Design, she joined SM Entertainment as a graphic designer in 2002. At the time, SM was in the early stages of the digital music market, and the importance of album jacket design and music videos was growing. Min Hee-jin began to attract attention early in her career by proposing unique visual concepts.
Time at SM Entertainment (2002–2018)
At SM, Min Hee-jin worked for 16 years and grew into a creative director. Key projects she participated in include:
- Girls' Generation's 'Gee' (2009): The colorful and lively concept broke the mold of typical K-pop girl groups at the time and achieved great success.
- f(x): Differentiated with an experimental and avant-garde image, showcasing unique visual stories in 'Electric Shock' and '4 Walls'.
- SHINee's 'Sherlock' and 'View': Introduced sophisticated minimalism and geometric design, generating buzz.
- Red Velvet: A strategy alternating between 'Red' and 'Velvet' concepts, with Min Hee-jin's capabilities shining in 'Ice Cream Cake' and 'Russian Roulette'.
- EXO's 'Wolf' and 'Growl': Contributed to building intense storytelling and a worldview.
Min Hee-jin systematized SM's 'visual directing system' and is evaluated as the person who established 'total concept directing' in K-pop, organically connecting all elements such as album artwork, music videos, stage costumes, and merchandise.
HYBE and Establishment of ADOR (2019–2021)
In 2019, Min Hee-jin left SM and moved to Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE), led by Bang Si-hyuk. HYBE proposed that she establish an independent label, and in November 2021, ADOR was officially launched. ADOR stands for 'All Doors One Room,' meaning all doors lead to one room. Min Hee-jin became CEO of ADOR and was guaranteed complete creative autonomy.
Launch and Success of NewJeans (2022–Present)
On July 22, 2022, ADOR debuted its first girl group, NewJeans. NewJeans attracted attention even before debut with unique marketing:
- Member Reveal Method: Instead of the traditional K-pop 'teaser' approach, they naturally shared everyday videos and photos of the members, building familiarity.
- Debut Song 'Attention': The music video reinterpreted 1990s Y2K aesthetics in a modern way and spread virally without separate promotion.
- Album Packaging: Used everyday items like 'knit bags,' 'hats,' and 'stickers' instead of CDs, considering the environment and trends.
- Music Style: Pioneered an 'easy listening' genre based on retro sounds like 1990s–2000s R&B, UK garage, and drum and bass.
Within a year of debut, NewJeans rose to global stardom with consecutive hits like 'Attention,' 'Hype Boy,' 'Ditto,' 'OMG,' and 'Super Shy.' Notably, 'Ditto' ranked first on the 2023 Melon Annual Chart, and 'Super Shy' entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81. Min Hee-jin personally planned all album artwork, music video concepts, and marketing strategies for NewJeans, earning praise for creating a 'new genre in K-pop.'
Management Dispute and Controversy (2024)
In April 2024, HYBE initiated an audit against Min Hee-jin and ADOR's management, alleging an 'attempt to seize management control.' HYBE claimed that Min Hee-jin tried to secure control of ADOR through external investors, which she denied and countersued. This incident stirred the entire K-pop industry, and Min Hee-jin held an emergency press conference on April 25 to state her position. At the press conference, she argued it was a 'fight to protect NewJeans' independence' and gained support from some of the public and fans. In May 2024, the court ruled in Min Hee-jin's favor by rejecting HYBE's proposal to dismiss her, but the conflict continues.
Latest Trends
In the second half of 2024, Min Hee-jin remains CEO of ADOR and is focusing on NewJeans' global activities. NewJeans released their Japanese debut single 'Supernatural' in May 2024, which topped the Oricon chart, and in September 2024, they released a repackage album of their second EP 'Get Up.' Additionally, they began their first world tour in October 2024, performing in major cities across the US, Europe, and Asia. Min Hee-jin has stated that despite the legal dispute with HYBE, NewJeans' creative activities are unaffected, and there are reports of preparations for a new album in early 2025. Meanwhile, debates continue in the K-pop industry over Min Hee-jin's unique management style and creative autonomy, with analyses suggesting this case may influence the restructuring of relationships between large agencies and sub-labels.
Related Topics
- [[NewJeans]]
- [[ADOR]]
- [[HYBE]]
- [[SM Entertainment]]
- [[K-pop]]
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