Hi guys, Han here! ^^)/ Welcome to The Hanivese! ✨
This blog is supplementary to my YT channel and a place for me to share random thoughts, information, and inspiration~
Thanks for stopping by!✨
this is a heavy topic but are you going to cover k.g's case against jyp and the abuse of vcha?
I'm honestly strongly considering it! I didn't intend to be this involved with NJs' case, it just sort of happened, and I'm still undecided about committing completely to commentary - but I do think the situation with K.G and VCHA is serious and needs more attention, I'm just not sure what new perspective I can offer, and I don't want to just copy other people's videos because it's a 'trending topic' ><
P.S. Sorry for the super late answer, I didn't realize my phone had logged me out!
[Han Radio 📻 #1] TXT - Chikai ✨ Album First Listen & Review
Eh hem.
Yes, I am aware this album dropped 2 weeks ago. And yes I am aware that Jimin's <Muse> dropped today, and I still have not written my RM <RPWP> review, but you know what, bite me - life happens!
Anyway, now that I've finally had a second to get my mind straight, and I will likely be hearing all of these songs live in Osaka next weekend, I'm finally ready to give <Chikai> my first listen and share my personal thoughts on the album!
So without further ado, let's jump in!
Track 01. We'll Never Change [Title Track]
My Rating: 8/10
One thing I can confidently say about TXT is that their title tracks always hit the mark - and for me, their more ballad/RnB songs always match my taste perfectly - this song being no exception. 😌
The distorted piano rift at the beginning of the track creates an enchanted atmosphere, which I find is reminiscent of the unique fairytale influence that has become characteristic of TXT's concepts and musical message. Then it's complimented by the juxtaposition between the thumping of the bass representing a racing, anxious heart against Beomgyu's ethereal vocals which are instantly soothing.
My favourite part is definitely the pre-chorus with the repeating 'let go let go let go' motif - particularly in the second verse with the transition from Soobin to Beomgyu's voices. I think these two really have soft airy voices that truly compliment this track. And the layering of the other members' voices underneath really adds to the magical and emotive mood of the track.
I think using Yeonjun to build up the tension in the first pre-chorus, and keeping Hueningkai and Taehyun's more powerful vocals until the choruses was a great choice to build the atmosphere. On the flip side, I do have to say this song lost points for me because the chorus just didn't hit as hard as I was expecting for how much it built up the emotion. (It felt like all that build-up with no payoff?! 😭)
Again, Soobin and Beomgyu's voices really complete this song for me, the reprise of 'you you' after the chorus just causes my emotions to swell and both of them have these beautiful forlorn vocals, which goes wonderfully with the message of the song.
Speaking of the lyrics, I think the song is pretty transparent with the meaning from the title alone - it's a beautiful reflection of a promise between two (or more) parties to never forget their relationship regardless of how far apart they are and what else may change around them - they themselves, and the essence of their relationship will never change.
The other gripe I have with this song is the typical 2024 complaint, but the song is just so short 😔 I would have loved just one more chorus at the end, potentially with the more stripped-back audio and distorted piano and then a final crescendo of all the vocals and music... but yeah, streaming so short songs.
Track 02. Deja Vu (Japanese Version)
My Rating: 10/10
Okay, as a self-identify 'translated song hater' - I have to say this is one of the best translated tracks I've heard in a long time! I don't know if it's a mental block or what, but in my 17 years of K-Pop, I have always found listening to translated songs SUPER jarring, even if I hear the translated one first, I could just tell.
And that does somewhat apply to this track too, like Hueningkai's rap and the chorus sounds a little staccato but otherwise, it's not a half-bad effort. (Honestly, the only song I can say is flawless is TXT's {Your Light}, but that's probably because they intentionally recorded all 3 language versions at once. I still only listen to the Korean one though! 🤧)
It also doesn't hurt that Deja Vu is just such a bop of a track. I loved it in <Tomorrow> and I love it in <Chikai>, and I love songs with dope fan chants too, and this is just hitting all the marks for me!
//I'm not going to get into the lyrics because I'm far too lazy to check if the translation matches the Korean, but if you want me to review the original <Tomorrow> album or at least {Deja Vu} track, then lemme know.
Track 03. Kitto Zutto
My Rating: 7/10
I'm SO happy they kept an upbeat song after {Deja Vu} on this album just like they did on <Tomorrow> because my body was just waiting for {Miracle} to play, so having this album have a truck that's equally high tempo and high tension was great.
I also think this song is really tailored to the tastes of the Japanese audience, it would fit right in as the OP/EP of an anime or game - however, I do think that could hurt its marketability elsewhere. (However, it's no secret that K-pop idols' Japanese songs really do well outside of Japan, so maybe they just don't care at this point.)
For me personally, I do think the transition between the verses and choruses could have been a little smoother, the sudden change in the tempo of the vocals from the subdued verse to the upbeat chorus is a tiny bit jarring. In their defense, they do build up a little, which lets you know the speed change is coming, but it's just not my style and this is my review so... (It's also just a lot on my sound-sensitive ADHD ears.)
Nyangnyangs are taking it vocals-wise for me in this song, but Hueningkai starting the bridge was an absolutely artful choice, his voice is just perfect for those moments, especially in Japanese songs.
All in all, while it is a good song, it's definitely going to be one of those I enjoy when it comes up on shuffle, but isn't necessarily a track that I will search for, that's why I capped it out at 7 points.
Bonus: We'll Never Change [Choreography]
My Rating: 10/10
WOW. Just WOW.
Honestly, my heart hurts so much for Beomgyu because I can only imagine how much they all practiced for a routine this artistically stunning.
When I talk to others about TXT, I often comment on how absolutely breathtaking their live performances always are, and this song is no exception at all.
The incorporation of their stage outfits into the dance, and the way the harp-like movement actually compliments the piano motif in the music is just... URGH, I LOVE IT.
I really hope Beomgyu's condition has improved by Osaka as it would be an absolute honor to see the first complete version of this stage in all its glory - but if not at our show, then I hope he is able to perform before the end of the Japanese leg of the tour.
While I know I said Japanese songs usually aren't that popular overseas, I do wish that K-pop idols would perform one or two of their Japanese tracks throughout the whole tour - especially artists with such amazing Japanese tracks like TXT.
If I'm completley honest, seeing {Ring} live is one of the major reasons I even wanted to go and see them in Japan so badly. It is undoubtedly my fave of their Japanese songs, and arguably one of my fave TXT tracks in general (the cute lyrics and Taehyun's vocals just blow me away every time) - so yeah, anyway, please show some love to your fave J-tracks and maybe we can set a new president.
-
Anyway, my final rating for this entire single album is a solid 8/10. While it's not perfect marks, with so few songs (one of which is a remake), I think it's a fair score for what we were given.
TXT never fails to impress me with their ability to add their own color to everything that touch, and the magic truly is never lost. <Chikai> is a fantastic way to round off this chapter and I'm excited to see what they bring us next once Act: Promise has ended.
One thing we can be sure of is that their unique musical identity will never change~!
//Okay, cheesy ending aside - I'd love to hear what you all think of the album, and if you agree or disagree with my review. This is genuinely my first listen so my mind may change in the future, but that's the beauty of first impressions.
Till the next one! Thanks for tuning in to Han Radio! 📻✨☺️
(Well, technically it's the day before at the time of writing, but for the sake of dramatics, let's pretend!)
Weirdly, it's a very odd birthday, not because it's 'the end of another decade' but more so because it's a birthday I hope will mark a very significant turning point in my life - the last change in a long list of changes I've experienced throughout my 20s, and hopefully a very dramatic one.
Though often advertised as the 'best years of your life' my 20s have been a wild ride, each year bringing something totally new - from extreme lows to lofty highs - and although I feel things are finally settling down, I am also heading into my 30s with high expectations.
I thought a lot about how I wanted to write this post, and as someone who always finds comfort and recognition within music, I decided to put together a 'short' playlist, with each song representing a single year of my 20s.
Also, a small note: while I know writing this on my 29th birthday seems counter-intuitive and I should be writing it on my 30th, due to the recently-eradicated Korean age system, I've always thought of myself as 30 this year anyway, so it just seems more right to me.
Without further ado, let's begin~!
(2015) 20. BTS - Moving On
My 20s started rough. I'd just returned early from my 8-months studying abroad in Korea, a period that still ranks among the most precious moments in my life - however, after a dream-like experience, I found myself in a waking nightmare.
I'd been incredibly sick during my time in Korea, resulting in me failing to meet the attendance requirements at school - this also meant that upon my return to the UK, I'd be kicked off my Korean major if I decided to stay at my current university.
However, determined to continue down the path I'd chosen, I managed to transfer universities, successfully testing into 3rd year at SOAS and finding myself in a learning environment I much preferred. I'll never forget my new professor taking one look at me after my language assessment and asking "Why would [redacted] throw a star student like you away?"
I picked this song because I had actually just discovered it days before leaving Korea. I wasn't a BTS fan yet, but this album was released just 7 days before I left Korea, and moved by the lyrics, taking it as a declaration of my intention to move back to Korea someday, I listened to this one song for the whole 12-hour flight home.
The song's chorus references both laughing and crying in a precious place (to BTS, this was their first trainee dorm), and that perfectly encapsulated what Korea was to me - the start of my own dream for my future. But the most impactful part was the final line of SUGA's rap, asking: "When will a day come when I no longer have to move? I hope it's soon."
Well, at 29, I feel like I may finally be reaching that day.
(2016) 21. A-Pink - Be Myself
Settling quickly into my new university, it also presented me with a new opportunity; having been severely depressed for the majority of my teens, my time in Korea had significantly recalibrated my mentality about my life and myself. And now, being in a brand new environment I had the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do: be unapologetically myself.
It didn't even fully strike me until writing this just now, but this was when I went all-in on my alternative fashion, openly identifying as queer amongst my peers, and just being unashamed of what I liked and was into. I started attending more Lolita fashion events, and I was able to meet classmates who respected and encouraged me - rather than gawking at me in a way that made me uncomfortable.
The reprise of this song is talking about someone who changed for love returning back to their true self, but in my case, it was rather I had hidden myself because of judgment from those I loved, but now was going fully in the opposite direction!
(2017) 22. RM - Uhgood
2017 was the beginning of a hard period.
At the time I was stretched thin between uni, my part-time job with full-time hours at Swarovski, and also a full-time job running a business. As you can imagine, the extra commitment led to me falling short of my academic goals - something that, while ultimately meaningless now, really mattered to me at the time.
It didn't help that just months later, I had started to burn out, growing tired of the commitment my business required (little did I know this was an ADHD hyper fixation coming to an end) but also feeling like I was in too deep to step back. I've always been an ambitious person often told that what I wanted was too outrageous, so there was also a part of me that worked myself to the bone just to prove others wrong. To this day I remind people that I closed my business because I grew tired of it - my business was never failing.
I felt like I'd fallen off the path I had wanted to be on, and the isolation of working for myself full-time when I quit my part-time job was grueling because it felt more like I was trapped. I constantly questioned if this was what I wanted for my life, but I also didn't see any other options for myself. Moreover, everyone around me was following more 'traditional' paths, so I really felt like there was no one who could relate to my situation I could turn to, but fortunately, I had one constant comfort: music.
(2018) 23. Agust D - So Far Away
It would not be an overstatement to say this song changed my life, and it was actually not long after my 22nd birthday that I heard it and became an ARMY (Nov 2017) - but the 'BTS effect' really hit me in 2018.
There's a saying that you find BTS when you need them, and I feel that couldn't have been more true for me. Strangely I'd listened to their music since debut, but never realized all these songs that had provided me so much encouragement and comfort were from the same band.
It felt like fate when I discovered them thanks to a dear friend, and it felt like I already knew them, and they already knew me - I found my path again thanks to BTS' music. All the questions suddenly were solved, and all my fears suddenly were eased, and I knew what it was I needed to do - and I began my preparation to move to Korea.
Maybe one day I will write a dedicated post explaining what this song truly means to me as an individual, but this post is getting long enough ^^;;
(2019) 24. BTS - Magic Shop
2015 to 2018 was a hard period, but I would say 2019 was and is possibly still the best year of my life thus far.
In Feb, I got confirmation of my move to Korea; in March, my best friend and brother got married; in June, I spent my entire paycheck in a week because BTS came to Wembley, and got my first tattoo; in July, I threw a huge going-away party with my family; in August, I landed in Korea at alst; in October, I sang and cried and screamed along with BTS in their home stadium; and in November, I moved into my first real apartment.
I can't explain how many dreams of mine came true that year - but each day I woke up and was filled with so much hope and excitement. The depressed kid I had been throughout my teens seemed oh so far away, and mid-twenties me was looking forward to all that life (and more importantly, South Korea) had to offer!
Everything was finally falling into place...
(2020) 25. Avenue Beat - F2020
And then it was falling apart.
2020 obviously sucked for all of us. Work sucked, my shitty little village in the countryside sucked, everything being closed sucked, not being able to meet my old friends sucked, events and concerts getting canceled sucked, immigration REALLY sucked, and good friendships going array sucked.
And then my grandparents died.
None of us could have expected how bad this year would be, but for me, it really was the personification of 'when it rains, it pours.' I had always believed 25 would be the best year of my life, I had so much energy and passion for life, but it just sucked so freaking bad, and I feel like I lost something within myself that year that I'm afraid I may never get back.
(2021) 26. BOBBY - RUNAWAY
Unfortunately, 2021 was worse.
Pandemic aside, this year was really a test of my endurance and determination. Penniless and with my job about to go out of business, on the verge of homelessness in a foreign country, living off gofundme donations, and stressed beyond belief - the simplest answer was to just go home.
But I knew the UK had nothing for me, it wasn't home anymore, and if I did leave Korea, I would be giving up not just on my dream but on life itself. I did manage to persevere - I had no choice - but this year truly did break me.
I wanted nothing more than to run away from everything, but I knew there was nowhere to run to, so I just had to push threw everything, and I hate to admit it, but I was mildly depressed during all this. I didn't want to admit it at the time and honestly hadn't until now; it had been over 6 years since depression came knocking at my door, and until that point, just being in Korea had been the cure, but I was learning that there was more I needed in life - I needed hope, and it was scarce at that time.
I think in an unfortunate way, I'm still recovering from this period. It turned me into a workaholic and someone who is a little money-hungry, not for the love of money, but more from a want of security. It's something I'm still working on, and I can at least gladly say I'm getting better, however, there is always this looming sensation of fatigue in my life that I believe started from my mid-twenties.
(2022) 27. Park Hyo Shin - Breath
While not a complete recovery, this year was a step back onto the correct path. Honestly, this year sucked ass too, but in a different way.
Rather than a series of unfortunate events, there was just one looming issue, but focusing more on the positives, this was when I got a taste of what I'd always dreamed of. Moving from idol MD marketing to idol content marketing was the confirmation I needed that this is truly what I want to do with my future here. It gave me back a much-needed sense of direction in my life and reminded me that my dreams really could come true.
Work was the main focus of this year really - I truly didn't have much of a life outside of that (and group orders, aka my second job LOL) But as someone newly diagnosed with ADHD and recognizing my habit of growing bored with, and switching goals frequently, it was really insightful and encouraging to learn what type of work I can see myself doing long term and never growing tired of.
Now the issue was just finding a stable, well-paying job, with decent compensation, in my field of choice.
Anyhow, I picked this song because the other lesson I learned this year was the importance of rest. As a self-identified workaholic, this is something I still struggle with, but it is always a constant in my mind and I am still doing my best to just breathe sometimes.
(2023) 28. Agust D - 28 (ft NiiHWA)
And that brings us to the song that inspired this whole post.
28 is a strange age for me, because I feel like I've been 28 for ages. The song was released when my Korean age was 28, then I turned 28 for real, then when my Korean age would have made me 30, the concept of Korean age was erased, and I was 28 once again - so it feels like I've been 28 years old for almost 2.5 years.
This song perfectly explains how I've felt since 2021, the ups and downs, the hopes dashed and then reborn, the constant feeling of being too small and then being too old, being too slow, and then being so far away from my dreams.
Sometimes I would burst into tears for no reason
The life I'd hoped for, the life I'd wanted, that regular kind of life
I don't care now how it turns out anymore
Without worries for just a day
Without concerns for just a day
To live, to live, to live like that
I must be becoming an adult
I no longer remember
What were the things I used to dream about?
Now I'm so scared
where have the fragments of my dreams run away to?
I'm still breathing,
But it seems like my heart-broken
Now I've become an adult
Who finds it hard to hold onto my dreams
That's what growing up is
At times I feel like this is such a sad song, and I hate that I've become so 'normal' after chasing my dreams for so long. Honestly at times, relating to these lyrics makes me feel like I've given up on the life I've always wanted and have accepted the broken reality society tries to force us into.
Yet, at other times, this song also sounds so hopeful, and it gives me comfort that I'm not the only one going through these struggles on the path to finding my dreams. The fact that I'm still asking where my dreams are, is a sign that I'm still hoping to fulfill them one day.
This song gives me a similar type of comfort to So Far Away - lyrics that perfectly explain my complex feelings in a way that's so easy to understand - and that helps me come to terms with those feelings and move past them.
And that brings us to 29.
In the first half of 2024, I put everything I had into building foundations for my future. I moved into an apartment I can barely afford because it would set a standard for my earnings and quality of life in the future. It's in a lovely part of Seoul, and it's spacious and well-connected, with the facilities for me to start doing things like going outside more and getting back into shape - you know, once I have enough time and money to focus on all that.
I also recently adopted a cat - another lifelong dream I kept putting off until I was 'ready'. I don't have savings yet (which yes, I know is not wise when I just got a pet), but it's a big goal I'm working on for this year, alongside growing my YouTube channel and potentially closing the GO business by my 30th birthday.
Despite how tough the last few years have been, ultimately I am still dreaming, and I am still trying, and I am confident that the life I want to live, is well within my reach, I just need to keep trying a little longer. While I believe one's 20s are the greatest period of growth in life, I'm hoping my 30s will truly be the best years of my life - so I just want to make the most of what's left of my 20s.
In conclusion though, if I were to make a wish for my 29th birthday - it would be that the second half of 2024 be the start of my future: my main career, my financial freedom, and my growth as a creator.
And for the last song of my twenties playlist be a really happy one.
Happy Birthday to me! ^^
PS. If any of you actually read through this entire beast of a post, just know that I love and appreciate you so much xD This was pure self indulgence so thank you!
Min Hee Jin's Victory: All Part of HYBE's Master Plan? 🤯 HYBE vs ADOR
What if I told you Min Hee-Jin winning her injunction case was all part of HYBE's grand plan? 👀 Not convinced? Well, maybe after this video you will be!
absolutely loooove your coverage of the ador vs hybe legal battle. the absolute gag of the century was reading that the whistleblower was a potential investor ador higherups met with. I want to know what you think of mhj's plagiarism allegations. is it plausible for her to have a legal standing in saying that hybe did not have the right to use her old concept art from the source music x bighit audition as inspiration for illit?
Hello! I'm glad you enjoyed my coverage! And also your question is very interesting!
I'm by no means a legal expert but put simply, no, I don't think she has grounds for anything.
The difference is basically plagiarism vs copyright. Copyright (in most cases) includes a process in which an idea or creation is registered legally as a person's creation (sometimes automatically) and people can still replicate that idea if they add their own transformation to it. Plagiarism on the other hand is a copy that doesn't intrude on someone's copyright (ie not transformative) but also doesn't give them credit - it isn't illegal and is also much harder to prove as a well-known song doesn't need explicit credit to be recognized. (For example, if you covered Michael Jackson's 'Bad', you don't need to directly credit MJ for people to know it's his song.)
If you record a song cover and post it on YouTube as an example - this is not a copyright violation because it involves the original vocals of the person doing the cover, and thus is transformation. Similarly, if you add some variation to the original song such as in the vocals, but still label it as a cover then it is not plagiarism. The difference becomes when you try to pass it off as your own. As mentioned, because the vocals are different you can say the vocals are your own creation, but the backing track is technically being copied and violates the copyright. Ironically it isn't necessarily plagiarised because you could argue that the song is well known enough to not need credit.
Bringing this back to this situation, MHJ's '2YK concept' is technically based on an acclimation of various pre-existing ideas, images, and sounds from the 2000s, while she can say the combination she's made is unique, she can't copyright that interpretation because they aren't her original ideas. Similarly, with plagiarism, it's even harder to prove because she's complaining about individual dance moves instead of the whole routine - it can be argued that not only does she not have rights to those individual moves, but their incorporation into a technically new routine makes it transformative.
Put simply, she can't prove that she owns the move nor that the new routine isn't transformative so she has no legal case. However, I don't think that's her intention, it's all about public perception. Actually, a lot of K-Pop dances are not completely original or pay homage to other existing dances, but she's framing it as 'copying' to win public sympathy, and ultimately the public is the consumers. Many people are boycotting or picking apart both ILLIT and NewJeans depending on which side they stand on, and they will ultimately vote with their dollars.
Ironically, the fact she doesn't seem to have a legal case could be further grounds for BELIFT's case against her, as he publically accused them of copying NJs and she could be sued for defamation (which they are currently trying to do.) The only saving grace is that she said plagiarism, not copyright, but in Korea, you can be sued for defamation even if what you said is true. Even if she could prove it was plagiarism, she still doesn't have any legal standing as it's not covered by law.
Again, I'm no legal expert (especially not in Korean law) but that's how I personally understand the situation! It'll be interesting to see the results of everything, and I hope this helped at least a little bit~ I focused more on dancing but the same logic could be applied to the concept art too.
The Real Reason Behind NewJeans Parents Supporting Min Heejin 👀 HYBE vs ADOR
Throughout the entire HYBE verse Min Heejin fiasco, one of the most asked - yet unanswered - questions have been "Why do the parents of New Jeans support her?"
Well, in this video, I'm going to try and understand the psyche behind the parents' actions, and after watching I'd love to hear what you would do in their case?
thx a bunch for the hybe vs mhj break down, it's definitely one of the most clear cut and objective explanations of this whole situation 👏 I also really appreciate you colour coding the claims made by each side, it's a helpful touch~
My pleasure! Hoenstly, it was fairly confusing for me too, so I made this to help others while organizing my own thoughts so I could make a more informed opinion 🤧
Honestly it really impresses me how calculated this feels, while I believe she never saw the audit coming, I do think she never planned to stay at HYBE from the beginning because of the relationship she fostered with the parents even before their debut. I really think she's an evil genius 😅 I'm learning a lot as a marketer lolol
I initially thought I'd be able to watch the movie online when it dropped back in February, but none of the usual suspects were uploading the damn movie, so I was dying trying to avoid spoilers online, but I'm glad I managed to until it was finally revealed to be showing in Korea!
Let me tell you, as a multilingual person, there is no bigger brain-fuck than watch a movie in a second language with subtitles in your third, but considering Haikyuu is my favourite anime of all time, I just couldn't wait anymore.
So, after such an arduous wait, was the movie actually worth it?
HELL YEAH!
Heads up, I've written this without any spoilers, as I also went into this without reading the manga (intentionally.)
Intially, I, like many other fans, was disappointed that the movie was ,in fact, a movie rather than a 5th season, but after watching it, I totally understand why they decided to do it this way. If they'd done it as a series of episodes, it ran the risk of being too slow-paced, which was one of the major criticisms of the 4th season.
The pacing of the movie was perfect - the right level of slow emotional flashbacks to add context without being too repetitive of past seasons, while still being fast-paced and action-packed throughout the game.
I also loved the unique perspective they gave in this movie, it's something they've never done to this extent throughout the anime, and honestly, something I haven't seen in other anime I've watched. The chaotic energy really made you feel like you were more than just a spectator and the disorientation made everything so much more tense - I LOVED it. (I honestly wanted to watch the whole movie again there and then just to experience that part again.)
One thing I've always loved about Haikyuu is the ability of the writer to make you appreciate just how hard these kids are working, and the background and character growth throughout the movie honestly left me teary-eyed at the end - the character development continues to be one of my favorite parts of this anime. There's honestly so much I want to say about this but due to spoilers, I'll have to hold back for a while until the screenings have taken place worldwide. Maybe I'll write a part 2 after additional viewings.
Finally, let's talk about the ending. Man. This was an interesting experience for me because Nekoma is actually my favorite team LOL but of course, as viewers, we can't help but root for Karasuno. Every point and every play was bittersweet but nothing hit as much as the ending, rather than any overwhelming sense of joy for the winner, it was more that sinking feeling of 'oh, it's really over? Just like that?" I imagine this is how the losing time would feel in every game, you always want to believe there's another chance, or that the end isn't really the end yet, it was very surreal.
The best parallel I can draw is the sinking feeling I had when Karasuno first lost to Aoba Josei. Yet at the same time, because of the growth of all the characters, it was still a beautiful ending.
Ultimately, it was everything you'd expect from Haikyuu, I laughed, I cried, I fought back screams in the theatre XD I really do want to reassure anyone who thinks the movie replacing a season will be lackluster - it was anything but! I hope you enjoy the viewing and I'd love to hear your thoughts after.
Hi guys, Han here, and LORD, this has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I hope this is helpful to all those who are trying to follow this mess in its entirety.
Important notes:
I've included the pre-audit timeline to help you understand the history and context of everything that's happened
I will be updating periodically with new information
I will try to keep entries to the point, and highlight the main points given by each side without adding too much of my own opinion - so make your own conclusions!
Credits to TMIKpop on Twitter for most of the translated news articles as I'm far too lazy, busy (and dyslexic) to read all those Korean articles myself.
I tried to include sources as much as possible in the more recent news, but honestly, I'm going to be a little lazy with this as I don't have enough free time to go back and find sources for things that happened way in the past or are already well-known up to this point. Feel free to send me sources in my ask box though!
Green text indicates the latest updates for those following!
Also for reference, here are the key involved characters (and name abbreviations that will be used throughout this post.)
Bang PD (Bang Shihyuk, HYBE Chairman & BigHit CEO)
PJW (Park Jiwon, HYBE CEO, ex-CEO of NEXON Games)
MHJ (Min Hee Jin, ADOR CEO, ex-SM employee)
VP L (Lee Sangwoo, VP of ADOR, ex-financial division at HYBE)
VP S (Shin ??, VP of ADOR)
NJs (NewJeans), LS (Le Sserafim), IL (ILLIT), GFRIEND & BTS
Items with * are accusations by either ADOR or HYBE, but that haven't been 100% verified as true or false. Things that have been verified won't have any *.
Similarly, (RUMORS) that seem to have some basis in reality based on existing evidence but have not been explicitly stated by either side are also included.
Also disclaimer: I am not pro-HYBE nor pro-MHJ, I have my personal opinion but I've tried to keep this as impartial and unbiased as possible. I've just presented the news that has been released, if it tills one way, that's just how it is.
Without further ado(r LOL), let's begin!
2019~2021
MHJ joins BigHit Ent as Chief Branding Officer for all labels - this is in preparation for Bighit Ent becoming HYBE.
*Between then and 2021, MHJ suggests making a girl group to Bang PD, and they agree to make the group under SouMu rather than BHM. However, MHJ is never officially employed at SouMu.
*Bang PD promises that MHJ's group will be HYBE's first girl group.
All NJs members join SouMu (Minji joined in 2017 / Hani 2019 / Haerin & Danielle 2020 / Hyein 2021)
*NJs' debut is pushed back initially because of COVID, then again due to contract issues, resulting in LS being ready to debut first and PJW telling MHJ that NJs will no longer be the first gg from HYBE. MHJ claims the reason for NJs' debut delay is because they didn't like her creative vision though.
2021
Q1 (Exact Timing Unknown)
Bang PD starts developing LS with SouMu as he wants to create a group featuring known members, Chaewon and Sakura from Iz*one.
*NJs' debut is pushed back initially because of COVID, then again due to contract issues, resulting in LS being ready to debut first
PJW tells MHJ that NJs will no longer be the first gg from HYBE.
*MHJ is upset that another gg is being developed under Source and claims that it's because Bang PD didn't like the direction she was taking NJs and abandoned her to work on LS instead.
MHJ later agrees to the new debut schedule, with LS debuting just 2 months before NJs, and decides that is enough time for her to promote NJs.
Feb/Mar
HYBE is officially established as a company with Bang PD as CEO.
May
PJW is announced as the new CEO of HYBE.
Bang PD continues as CEO of only BGM but only the chairman of HYBE. This means he has no say in the daily operations of HYBE, but can make big decisions that go to the Board of Directors (BOD).
Note: Each label under HYBE has its own individual CEO.
GFRIEND is officially disbanded without any notice from SouMu.
*MHJ is accused (by HYBE staff) of taking almost all of the SouMu staff to ADOR resulting in SouMu not having enough staff to manage GFRIEND and LS. SouMu also had a lot of debt from the training of NJs that they would no longer see a return on as the profits would go to ADOR so they needed to take dramatic measures.
(RUMOR) SouMu had already sunk a lot of money into LS (and NJs) and expected LS to be more popular as they were debuting under HYBE, so they decided to terminate GFRIEND at the end of their contracts without warning.
November
ADOR is officially established so that MHJ can have full control over her group's image and development, rather than answering to SouMu CEO and Bang PD.
HYBE gives 16.1B won investment for the establishment of ADOR
Bang PD gives MHJ 2B won to buy 2.8B won worth of ADOR stocks (amounting to 20%, 2% of which she later shared out to her two VPS.) He also gave her 2.9B of HYBE stocks as part of her official recruitment package as CEO of ADOR at only 23% of the actual share value (aka she got a 77% discount). However, MHJ sold 1,000 shares in mid-Nov and another 1000 shares on 8 Dec 2022, earning 760M, and walked away with an additional 120M in cash just 15 days after her investment. // Source: Silsa Journal
2022
May
LS debuts from SouMu
*HYBE claims they shortened their promotional period in order to give MHJ enough time to promote NJs ahead of their debut, but MHJ shows Kakao messages of PJW specifying that NJs should not be promoted ahead of LS' debut so they can benefit from the speculation of them being MHJ's group.
LS' debut is overshadowed by the Garam scandal.
(RUMOR) While Garam was later found to be innocent and misrepresented in the media (ie she was protecting a friend from a bully, not actively bullying someone), many believe MHJ was the one who leaked the information to the press to jeopardize LS' debut. This comes from the statements from HYBE that they have evidence of her collecting and leaking artists' private information.
July
NJs debuts with ZERO pre-debut promotion, instead dropping an incredible amount of content for the debut promotions.
Note: While MHJ claims HYBE tried to stop her promoting at all before their debut, she has not provided any evidence. It is the responsibility of each individual label to plan and execute their artist's promotions.
End of Year
Thanks to NJs' successful debut, ADOR has paid off a majority of their debt to HYBE, and now only owes 4B won.
2023
Dec // Source: Donga Ilbo
Bang PD lends MHJ money to buy cheap stock options (intentionally discounted by HYBE for her to buy) and MHJ uses the loan to buy a 20% stake in ADOR. This means she gets paid her shares on top of her 1M USD annual salary as CEO.
Note: I couldn't confirm this, but it's believed she is the only CEO of any HYBE label that has stocks in her company. BHM is private so there are no stocks and it is owned completely by Bang PD, while the other labels' stocks are owned 100% by HYBE.
MHJ buys the shares on the following conditions:
+ If she decides to quit, HYBE is obliged to buy the stocks back and pay MHJ 13 times [ADOR's profit from the last 2 years x her % of shares]
+ She can quit from Nov 2024 and has a non-compete clause for 2 years where she must maintain a 4.5% stake in ADOR.
Note: This means as a stakeholder she can not establish her own company or work for a company that will directly compete with ADOR for those 2 years, as she can not do work that can potentially devalue her shares. This is standard in many industries.
MHJ later shares 2% of her shares to executives of ADOR: VP S and VP L.
Note: It is unclear if she sold them or gifted them.
Q4 (Exact Timing Unknown)
VP L leaves their position in HYBE's financial team and starts to work at ADOR under MHJ.
*HYBE accuses VP L of downloading a bunch of HYBE's private financial data that he should no longer have access to, and giving it to MHJ to later use to try and blackmail HYBE into selling their ADOR stocks with the investors she is colluding with. This would mean the majority of ADOR stocks would be controlled by people who support MHJ's decisions.
2024
Feb // Source: Donga Ilbo
MHJ tries to negotiate the terms of her contract with HYBE. She requests the following:
+ The 13x valuation of her shares be increased to 30x. Taking their value from approximately 100B won to 270B won. (This would be 5.5x the amount of profit she actually made with ADOR in 2023.)
+ The complete removal of the non-compete clause, allowing her to cash out all of her stocks and start/work for a competitor company immediately after leaving the company.
Additionally, she asks for the ability to make decisions regarding outside investors by herself as the CEO without HYBE's input.
HYBE rejects all of her requests because they would be complete financial losses and risks to HYBE. Negotiations stop as neither side will budge.
It is also around this time that HYBE gets the tips that MHJ is planning a management takeover with outside investors.
Mar
HYBE received a tip that MHJ is planning to try and make ADOR independent by gathering investors who support MHJ to buy up the majority of ADOR shares.
[23rd~29th] MHJ and VP L share messages about selling ADOR after 'emptying it like a shell', how to make ADOR independent, and how they should blackmail HYBE and ruin HYBE's reputation.
*HYBE believes the 'empty shell' comment means terminating NJs' contracts with the majority shareholder power from the investors MHJ was meeting.
Note: MHJ has confirmed the existence of these messages but insists they were just jokes between disgruntled employees. HYBE retorts that these plans are too specific and detailed, and they found additional evidence to prove they were more than just empty words.
[25th] ILLIT debuts with 'Magnetic'
April
[3rd] MHJ submits an internal complaint to HYBE and BELIFT that IL's concept is copyright infringement of NJs and that HYBE has the obligation to protect them. She requests they respond by April 23rd or 24th (not clear.)
MHJ also complains to the parents of NJs that HYBE is trying to sideline NJs with IL.
[22nd] HYBE and BELIFT submit a 6-page response to MHJ.
Note: She later claims that she didn't receive any response, but HYBE provides proof that she received it, so she changed that they replied last minute so she couldn't prepare for the audit, but the response doesn't mention the audit because they are separate issues. However, MHJ believes the audit is all because of the IL situation.
HYBE carries out and publically announces the ADOR audit. This results in an 8% drop in HYBE stocks. (Whistleblower will be revealed later!)
*They claim to find evidence of her plans, the illegally obtained company and artist information, and more.
[23rd] MHJ holds a 2.5 hour press conference in retaliation.
*She doubles down that she believes this is all because of the complaint she filed and that HYBE (and particularly Bang PD) has hated her and NJs from the beginning.
Conference Transcript Here:
Welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of the press conference held by Min Hee-jin, producer of girl group NewJeans and CEO of agency ADOR
[24th] This was also the deadline for which all company devices needed to be returned for the audit but MHJ refused to return her work laptop (and still hasn't as far as I know.)
*MHJ claims the timing of the audit was intentional to jeopardize NJs' comeback, however, HYBE provided copied devices to all the employees. She has since not given any justification for not returning her laptop and NJs comeback is continuing as scheduled.
[26th] While HYBE initially stated they wouldn't respond on the day of the conference, they later released a full statement addressing the key points of MHJ's argument.
HYBE's full response in English:
NJs's fans (Bunnies) sent trucks to HYBE requesting that MHJ stop using NJs and their parents to protect herself and that NJs stay within HYBE.
NJ's parents refuse to accept calls from HYBE but express their support through newspaper interviews.
Both NJs and BTS RM announce their comebacks set for May 24th. (HYBE's stocks recover thanks to this.)
MHJ paints this as HYBE trying to crush NJs with their biggest group because NJs surpassed BTS - HYBE retorts that BHM picked the date first and advised her to change the date, but she insisted on having NJs' comeback on the same day.
[30th] HYBE calls an extraordinary general meeting with the BODs, but the ADOR executives and MHJ do not attend, meaning they have to file a legal suit requiring the MHJ, VP S and VP L to attend the ADOR BODs extraordinary general meeting on May 31st instead.
Other things of note that happened between the 22nd to 30th:
News reports broke that a petition for re-investigation regarding a 2017 allegation against BTS for Sagaeji was passed to the KFTC & Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism. Days later the organizations responded by clearing the charges and asking that all musicians be as honest and forthcoming as BTS. It was later discovered at the hearing that MHJ was behind this situation, and ordered her VPs to create a buzz around the issue to distract attention from her. // Sources: Link / Yonhap News
Similarly, following the accusation from HYBE that MHJ was talking to her 'shaman friend', a rumor broke that BTS were members of a cult that the chairman of their university (Cyber Global University) is rumored to be part of. The Chairman denied being part of a cult, and HYBE/BHM released statements denying the allegations too.
(RUMOR) "K-ARMYs" sent trucks and funeral wreaths to HYBE dissing the company and pleading allegiance only to BTS until May 7th. The following day, these were replaced by trucks from "Bunnies" showing support for MHJ - contradicting the prior trucks sent criticising her. The suspicious timing, the unusually fast fundraising, the contradictory message, the hiring of bodyguards to protect the wreaths, and other strange coincidences cast doubt on if any of these trucks are actually from fans. Many believe MHJ is funding these herself to paint the image that fans are on her side, or at least hate HYBE, justifying her own discontent with HYBE.
May // Source: Biz Chosun
[7th] MHJ files an injunction to Seoul District Court to block HYBE from using their 80% share of ADOR to vote her out (fire her.)
[10th] ADOR BOD agreed to HYBE's request to hold the extraordinary general meeting to discuss the dismissal of MHj (and the two VPs.)
*The same day, prior to the BOD announcement, MHJ's side said a styling team leader was subject to improper coercion during the audit. // Source: Lee Daily
HYBE later retaliated explaining how the audit was conducted and that when the staff wanted to stop, they respected her wishes. Furthermore, HYBE said they found evidence of embezzlement and improper payment receipts for ADOR staff. // Source: Newsen
ADOR denied that the payment methods were normal and legal, but definitely they are not. // Source: Newsis
However, the staff did come forward to say she felt pressured and blackmailed with the embezzlement claims if she didn't comply with the audit. // Source: Ilgan Sports
[12th] An email from "NJs Parents" to HYBE is released to a newspaper, the contents of the email describing how Bang PD did not greet the girls in the elevator, and how they are their parents were upset by it.
HYBE retorted that this was not true, and that the email was fabricated by VP L and MHJ and they had proof of this. // Source: YTN
A parent of NJs later gave an interview with Ilgan Sports revealing the email was in fact written by MHJ, based on conversations she had with the parents. She also claimed PJW had said the girls would take a break for 1.5 years in order to find a Grammy worthy producer for NJs and that the parents were worried about their careers. // Source: Ilgan Sports
HYBE denies any such statement and that they plan to continue NJs schedules as planned. //Source: Seoul Newspaper
[13th] YTN reports HYBE has selected a new CEO for ADOR to replace MHJ once she's voted out, and that they will reveal all of the results of the audit at the court hearing.
Controversy about NJs new song 'Bubble Gum' being plagiarised from a 1982 song called 'Easier Said Than Done' by British Rock Band ShakaTak. // Source: Biz Chosun
[14th] HYBE filed a complaint with the FSS due to insider trading carried out thanks to a tip from MHJ's side about the upcoming public scandal.
Note: It's complicated and is about additional people not mentioned until now, so I will link the thread explaining it. It is relevant however, as it backs HYBE's claim that MHJ had planned to ruin their company image as part of her management takeover plan even before the audit. LINK
[17th] The hearing for MHJ's injunction takes place. Each side has 30 minutes to present their arguments and evidence. The below tweets summarize the main points.
HYBE's Side:
ADOR's Side:
Although MHJ requested her Kakao messages not to be shared publically (despite her already showing some), a reporter did recreate the messages. (He copied them word for word but recreated the image so it doesn't break the rules.) The messages show her hatred for women in general, particularly a female employee who was reported assaulted by one of the VPs.
Messages Translation: LINK Message Source: LINK LINK
[17th] NJs members and their parents all submitted petitions to oppose the dismissal of MHJ and request that MHJ and NJs continue to stay under HYBE - these petitions were submitted before the hearing where MHJ's disparaging comments against NJs were revealed. // Source: Hankook Ilbo
A petition signed by 10,000 NJs' fans, and various petitions from ADOR staff members was also submitted to the court in favor of MHJ.
Various staff from HYBE (Pdogg (BTS producer), CEO Han Seongsoo (Pledis founder and producer of Seventeen), CEO So Seongjin (Source Music), Son Seongduk (BigHit performance director), Kim Seonghyun (BTS and Le Sserafim’s creative director), and Slow Rabbit (TXT producer)) filed petitions in favor of HYBE showing strong loyalty from various labels and artists. //Source: News 1
[17th] HYBE's Q1 results were released and showcased how NJs/ADOR is not as valuable an asset as MHJ is painting them out to be. This goes against MHJ's argument that HYBE is trying to crush her because NJs are getting 'too big'. LINK
[17th] The whistleblower who tipped HYBE off to make them do the audit is revealed. Long story short it was one of the associates of the investors MHJ had been trying to get to buy shares of ADOR who reached out to HYBE.
MHJ has claimed during her conference she never met any investors and that HYBE should prove who they are. Now that they've been named, she's still deflecting because it was VP L who met with the investors rather than MHJ herself. // Source: LINK / Biz Chosun
[17th - yeah, a lot happened this day] MHJ accuses HYBE of trying to make her commit 'Albun Pushing', as well as complaining about the distribution deal with UMG - HYBE retaliates denying the allegations and provides evidence of MHJ doing the exact thing she accused them of, and also explains how the UMG benefits all artists and has already benefit NJs. // Source: LINK
Note: This is NOT Sajaegi, but it is still a tactic to inflate sales. The difference is Sajaegi is the company buying the albums themselves, whereas this album pushing is forcing distributors to preorder more stock and then hold events (like fansigns) to help them sell out after.
[22nd] BELIFT also filed an official defamation suit against MHJ. // Source: Hangkook Finance
// Note: In Korea, you can sued for defamation even if what you said is proven true if it is deemed not beneficial to the general public and detrimental to the person/entity who was defamed. If found guilty, this would be grounds for MHJ's injunction to be canceled.
[24th] This day is the deadline by which both sides can submit additional evidence before the courts make their decision on whether to pass MHJ's injunction (stopping HYBE from voting her out) or not. // Source: YNA
[24th~19th] Various text messages, supposedly from HYBE's legal argument are leaked to the public. They contain damning messages that show that MHJ was planning (in detail) the takeover of ADOR/NJs prior to the debut of ILLIT. As the messages are 'leaked' it is hard to prove their validity, but MHJ later states (on the 30th] that the messages were taken out of context (not that they were lies/edited.) // Source: KBS
KakaoTalk Message Translations are available here: PannKpop
[25th] PJW met with 3/5 NJs' mothers and guaranteed that they would be able to carry out their Tokyo Dome performance plans regardless of MHJ's status after the injunction - despite MHJ refusing to share the files/information related to the concert plans. // Source: Ilgan Sports
[30th] The court rules in favor of Min Hee Jin. They admit that while she did plan a management takeover and take action that could be harmful/disadvantageous to HYBE, she did not do anything that would be detrimental to ADOR which is her prime responsibility, and that the loss of MHJ to ADOR could be harmful. // Source: Hankook Ilbo
This injunction temporarily stops HYBE from firing MHJ unless they can prove she is bad for ADOR or that she has committed some sort of criminal offense against HYBE. // Source: Kyunghyang Newspaper
HYBE says they will respect the court's decision and act accordingly (likely file an appeal.) MHJ announces she will do a press conference the following day. She also claims that the dismissal of her two VPs will be against the court's decision, but technically they aren't covered by the injunction. // Source: Seoul Newspaper
[31st] The ADOR extraordinary general meeting takes place.
HYBE fires the two VPs who worked under MHJ and replace them with with three Hybe officers. Kim Joo-young, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Lee Jae-sang, Chief Strategy Office (CSO), and Lee Kyung-joon, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) were appointed at the EGM. //Note: The CHRO is a woman, which is interesting due to MHJ's disparaging comments about working with women according to the messages allegedly leaked by HYBE. // Source: Yeonhap News
This new BoD line-up for ADOR means MHJ is outnumbered 3:1 in any decision and is seen as a way for HYBE to keep her in check.
Note: I haven't included notes from MHJ's conference yet as I haven't watched it for myself yet! I also don't know what parts will be relevant to the main timeline later, so I will update again a bit later.
This is all the information so far, I've skipped some of the common knowledge things like the details of the IL plagiarism or cult accusations because I think they just muddle the whole timeline and are very inconsequential.
I will continue to update this page as things continue to happen. And I want to show out TMIKPOP from Twitter one more time as I wouldn't have been able to put this together without their tweets.
What's your opinion on the situation?
MHJ has BEEN plotting and needs to be picked out
HYBE has been abusing MHJ and NJs from the beginning
Since January 2024, there's been a trend of otherwise healthy cats suddenly developing serious health issues - acute neuromuscular diseases, high fever, elevated liver enzymes, and kidney failure - resulting in death.
There have been over 500 reported cases of cats becoming sick with almost 200 passing away. While the cause has not been completely pinpointed, there is high suspicion that all the affected cats ate cat food from brands produced in the same Korean manufacturing plant with the plant claiming the tainted food is all from the same ingredients distributor.
For the sake of all the worried cat parents living in Korea, I wanted to share the list of suspected food brands that I have come across. Please note this is not a 100% confirmed list, and I am not accusing any of these brands of anything, they are just the brands I have seen/heard mentioned.
Affected Brands List
네츄럴랩 (CARE사료) - Natural Lab (Care Food Line)
네츄럴 코어 - Natural Core
네츄럴 파이브 - Natural Five
풀무원 아미오 - Amio
정관장 지니펫 - GINIPET
닥터95 - Doctor95
리얼오가닉 - Real Organic
보노네이처 - Bono Nature
코펜하겐 레시피 - Copenhagen Recipe
뉴알엑스 - NEURX
네츄럴 큐브 - Natural Cube
NEKKO
오요요 - OYOYO
오가다이어트 - OrgaDiet
한실림 오가닉 스토리 - Organic Story
닥터그린벨 - Doctor Greenbell
뉴웨이브 - New Wave (holistic)
스누펫 - SNOOPET
웰스비 - Wealth.B
마이펫닥터 - My Pet Doctor
프롬벳 - From Vet
홀리홀릭스 - Wholly Holics
시리우스 - SIRIUS
ANF
이즈칸 - Iskhan
// Credit to _nezu_nezu on IG for sharing the list.
If you are using any of these brands, you may want to consider switching when your supply runs out. Many cat owners are moving to international brands. (If you have a dog, some of these brands also make dog food too.)
One thing I've noticed from this list is that a lot of them seem like International brands from the name but are actually manufacturers in Korea, so be careful when you change brands to check the manufacturing information too.
Personally, I use Royal Canin Dry Cat Food (International) & Nutri Plan Wet Cat Food (Korean), and I've had no issues with my baby boy, but I'm keeping a close eye on him.
I hope this information is useful to someone, and if you know of any brands I've missed, please send me a message either on Tumblr or my IG (deokjildiaries).
This song honestly gets better every time I listen to it~ I'm looking forward to writing a full review of the album once it's released next week! The tracklist honestly has me so intrigued XD
