HYBE faces fresh controversy as US lawsuit alleges online smear campaigns targeting Min Hee Jin

A copy of the complaint obtained by Hankyoreh alleges that TAG PR has been conducting organised smear campaigns since May last year in an attempt to poach clients from Jonesworks.

HYBE has found itself at the center of another controversy amid its prolonged legal dispute with former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, following explosive allegations that link a US-based public relations firm previously owned by the company to organised online smear campaigns.

According to Hankyoreh, executives and associates of TAG PR, a US public relations firm that HYBE had earlier acquired and later sold, have been named in a lawsuit accusing them of orchestrating coordinated smear operations. The suit was filed by Jonesworks, another US-based PR firm, along with its founder Stephanie Jones, in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. An amended complaint was submitted on December 8, naming TAG PR’s founders and associates as defendants.

A copy of the complaint obtained by Hankyoreh alleges that TAG PR has been conducting organised smear campaigns since May last year in an attempt to poach clients from Jonesworks. According to the filing, TAG PR officials allegedly used rumour-based narratives, anonymous online posts, and strategically placed news articles to damage the reputation of competitors. The lawsuit further claims that similar tactics were employed against other individuals beyond Jonesworks, including Min Hee Jin.

The complaint states that anonymous online forums, social media platforms, and digital media articles were systematically used as part of the alleged campaign. Among the websites cited in the filing is “minheejin.net,” which the plaintiffs described as a site created specifically to attack Min Hee Jin.

While the website is no longer accessible and its content cannot be independently verified, domain records from WHOIS reportedly show that “minheejin.net” was created on September 27 last year, shortly after HYBE acquired TAG PR, and was shut down exactly one year later, on September 27, 2025.

Notably, HYBE disclosed in its third-quarter financial report this year that it had disposed of all its TAG PR shares. Observers have pointed out that the website’s operational timeline closely overlaps with the period during which TAG PR was under HYBE’s ownership, raising questions that have fueled speculation online.

In response to the report, a HYBE representative firmly denied any involvement. The company stated that the lawsuit reflects “one-sided claims” and stressed that neither HYBE nor HYBE America had anything to do with the alleged activities.

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The representative categorically asserted that HYBE and its subsidiaries have never engaged in smear campaigns or public opinion manipulation as described in the complaint.

Online communities have reacted strongly to the allegations, with users speculating about paid online activity. Comments circulating include statements such as, “Even just looking at Theqoo, it seems like there are a lot of paid commenters,” and “HYBE seems to take public-opinion battles and media play really seriously.” Others echoed similar sentiments, claiming, “You could really feel them working on it, flooding the hot posts for the past month or two.”