BTS’ V speaks out on private chats being used as evidence in HYBE–Min Hee-jin lawsuit: 'Submitted without my consent'

The 2024 legal dispute involves Min and HYBE over control of ADOR, with Min accusing HYBE of unlawfully terminating her shareholder agreement.

BTS' V has spoken out following reports that his private chat messages were submitted as evidence in the ongoing lawsuit between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. In an Instagram Story post, V described the situation as “very upsetting,” adding that he never consented to his conversations being used in the dispute.

BTS' V expressed distress over his private messages being used as evidence in the HYBE-Min lawsuit, clarifying he did not consent to their disclosure.

BTS V upset with leaked chats

The controversy arises amid a corporate clash over alleged similarities between ADOR’s girl group NewJeans and BELIFT LAB’s ILLIT. During court proceedings, Min highlighted V’s involvement in the matter, referencing a KakaoTalk conversation in which the singer noted the resemblances. According to reports, V wrote: “‘(There’s always talk of plagiarism, and it’s not once it’s been mentioned) Huh... that’s what. I took a look as well and thought, ‘Oh, this is kinda similar.’”

Responding to the disclosure, V clarified his intentions, stating, “This is part of a private, everyday conversation that I shared with empathy, as they were my acquaintance. I had no intention of taking sides. However, I find it very upsetting that the conversation in question was submitted as evidence without my consent.”

A screenshot of BTS V's Instagram stories.

What is HYBE Vs Min Hee-jin controversy?

The legal battle officially began in 2024, centring on control of ADOR, the label managing NewJeans. HYBE accused Min of attempting to seize control of the label. Min, on the other hand, claimed that HYBE unlawfully terminated a key shareholder agreement, thereby denying her the right to sell back her ADOR shares for an agreed-upon payout. HYBE oversees top K-pop acts including BTS, TXT, SEVENTEEN, CORTIS, and KATSEYE, making the dispute one of the most high-profile corporate conflicts in the industry.

A Seoul court recently ruled in Min’s favour, ordering HYBE to pay her approximately 25.5 billion won ($17.5 million). The judge ruled that HYBE could not lawfully terminate the shareholder agreement and that Min retained the contractual right to sell her ADOR shares back to the company.

Plagiarism claims and ILLIT controversy

Min publicly criticised the perceived similarity between NewJeans and ILLIT’s (under HYBE’s BELIFT LAB) concept, music, fashion and choreography sparking debates about originality and influence in K‑pop aesthetics. Many fans and media outlets also noticed parallels, and Min’s team argued these concerns were legitimate industry opinions rather than defamatory claims.

It was during this period of plagiarism discussions that Min’s legal team submitted private KakaoTalk chats with V, in which V reportedly said he also saw similarities, as part of her evidence in court.