'I Feel Extremely Disturbed...': BTS' V Breaks Silence On Private Chats Used As Evidence In HYBE Vs Min Hee-Jin Legal Battle

BTS member Kim Taehyung, known as V, has spoken out following controversy over his private messages being used as evidence in the legal dispute between former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and entertainment giant HYBE. As per Korean media reports, the situation unfolded after the Seoul Central District Court, on February 12, ruled in favour of Min Hee Jin regarding a shareholder agreement dispute with HYBE, the parent company of NewJeans' label, ADOR.

V's private chat used as evidence

The court case attracted considerable attention when it was revealed that private KakaoTalk conversations between V and Min Hee Jin had been submitted during the proceedings.

In one of the messages, V commented on the plagiarism allegations involving ILLIT and NewJeans, saying, "Yeah… I know, right. I also looked at it and thought, 'Ah, this is similar…'" The court ultimately viewed Min Hee Jin's concerns about ILLIT copying NewJeans as legitimate opinions.

The singer reacts

As news of the court documents and the use of his messages spread, V took to Instagram today (February 20) to address the matter. He clarified, "This is a part of private everyday conversation between me and an acquaintance of mine; we shared our empathy, I have no intention of taking sides. I'm deeply disturbed that this conversation was submitted as evidence without my consent." (translated)

Check it out below:

After V's clarification, HYBE also issued a statement to Korean outlet OSEN, explaining, "Since it was a private conversation with an acquaintance, it was intended to express empathy, not to agree with any specific remarks from the other party." The company further emphasised V’s dissatisfaction with his private messages being used in court without his approval.

What is the HYBE vs Min Hee Jin controversy?

The broader conflict began in 2024 and revolves around control of ADOR. HYBE accused Min Hee Jin of attempting to take over management control of the label. In contrast, Min alleged that HYBE unfairly terminated a crucial shareholder agreement, preventing her from exercising her right to sell her ADOR shares back to the company for an agreed payout.

Given HYBE’s position as home to global acts such as BTS, TXT, SEVENTEEN, CORTIS and KATSEYE, the legal battle has become one of the most closely watched corporate disputes in the K-pop industry.