K-Pop Feud Escalates as Allegations of Online Smear Campaign Surface, Linking Former Adore CEO to Attacks
A legal dispute in the United States has brought to light accusations of a systematic online smear campaign, with allegations that Min Hee-jin, the CEO of OK Records and former head of Adore, was potentially targeted as part of the effort. The claims stem from a complaint filed by American public relations firm Jones Works against officials of TAG PR, a company recently acquired and then sold by Hive, the parent company of K-pop sensation BTS.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that since May of last year, TAG PR officials engaged in a deliberate “smear campaign” aimed at stealing clients. According to the complaint, this involved the spread of negative publicity – described as a “reverse virus” – targeting specific individuals and organizations. Jones Works is seeking damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees as a result.
Central to the allegations is the mention of the website ‘minheejin.net’ within the complaint. The plaintiffs claim this site was specifically created to attack Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of the Korean label Adore, who is currently embroiled in a public dispute with Hive. The complaint also lists other websites allegedly used in similar attacks against figures including American actress Alexa Nicholas, influencer Paige Jimenez, and environmental activist Tamara Rubin.
Notably, ‘minheejin.net’ is no longer active. Domain registration information reveals the website was created on September 27th of last year – coinciding with Min Hee-jin’s appearance as a speaker at a credit card company event – and was deactivated exactly one year later.
The timing is significant, as Hive’s U.S. subsidiary, Hive America, acquired a 51% stake in TAG PR in August of last year, incorporating it as a subsidiary. Hive subsequently announced the complete disposal of its shares in TAG PR in its third-quarter report this year. This timeline closely aligns with the period of operation for ‘minheejin.net.’
According to the complaint, forensic analysis of mobile phones and websites linked to former Jones Works employees – who were terminated for allegedly sharing company secrets with competitors – revealed a consistent “digital fingerprint” across the alleged attack websites. “Forensic materials included proposals to open a website, ideas for press articles, and plans to spread S&S,” the lawsuit states, “and the defendants created false slander websites and S&S accounts and ran a small business targeting themselves and their clients’ enemies.” This evidence was submitted through the U.S. court’s formal “evidence discovery procedure,” a process that carries severe penalties for submitting false information.
In response to the allegations, a Hive official dismissed the claims as pertaining to a legal dispute unrelated to Hive or Hive America. The official stated that the company has not been involved in any of the activities outlined in the complaint beyond “normal promotional activities.”
The case is ongoing, and the allegations raise serious questions about the potential for coordinated online attacks and the involvement of public relations firms in spreading misinformation. The outcome of the legal proceedings could have significant implications for the K-pop industry and the broader landscape of online reputation management.
