Everything started with a few headlines. At first, you might think they were just rumors: she’s still facing that controversy, there’s no way Min Hee Jin is making a comeback this soon. But then there she was, posting random doodles on Instagram. And at that moment, we all know. Min Hee Jin is really back—with her own new brand label and her very own K-pop agency — OOAK (Only One Always Known).
After months of silence and courtrooms, the woman who built NewJeans’ universe finally made her return. And this is beyond just a mere K-pop comeback. Because with her new OOAK K-pop label, Min Hee Jin might just start a new beginning for the entire industry, where creativity speaks louder than corporations.
Min Hee Jin & OOAK New Label: The Return of K-pop’s (In)Famous Visionary
After leaving ADOR and becoming the center of one of the most publicized K-pop legal battles, Min Hee Jin has finally re-emerged.
But this time, it’s on her own terms.
On October 16, 2025, former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin officially registered OOAK Co., Ltd. (pronounced “ooh-kay”), a new entertainment label company focused on artist management, music production, and creative branding. Located near Garosu-gil in Seoul’s Gangnam district, OOAK already carries the distinct aesthetic fingerprint that made her one of Korea’s most influential creative directors.
Industry reports confirm that OOAK’s launch comes just days before the October 30 court verdict on the ongoing ADOR–NewJeans most expensive lawsuit, where NewJeans members seek to nullify their exclusive contracts. While Min Hee Jin has not publicly stated any connection, the timing alone has reignited speculation across the industry — and across fandoms.
Still, as avid K-pop enthusiasts who understand how the industry works, you know that this isn’t just about one producer or one girl group. It’s about what happens when one of K-pop’s most visionary figures steps outside the corporate machine that once defined and chained her.
OOAK New Label — A Creative Rebellion Wrapped in Silence
Unlike the other entertainment companies and big corporations, the birth of OOAK new label by Min Hee Jin didn’t start with loud campaigns. There was not even a single press release—not yet, at least—or giant billboard announcing her return.
And yet, the industry immediately found her. With a simple act of company registration, they could smell Min Hee Jin’s next moves. This is how much influence Min Hee Jin has in K-pop.
Then, came the cryptic doodles.
As Min Hee Jin posted her sketches on Instagram, they became instant conversation starters. Fans described them as “weirdly captivating,” others believed it was genius, while some believed it was mere pretense.
But almost everyone agreed: only Min Hee Jin could turn children’s drawings into a nationwide marketing event.
The new label, the doodles, they remind us once again of who Min Hee Jin truly is. Because before all those messy issues with HYBE, she’s that Min Hee Jin—the very creative power behind SM Entertainment and the whole 2nd generation K-pop.
For years, she has built worlds — not just products in K-pop. From SHINee’s Lucifer era visuals to f(x)’s Pink Tape concept and finally NewJeans’ aesthetic revolution, Min Hee Jin has always blended storytelling with visual minimalism.
That is why OOAK’s birth, stripped of glamour yet heavy with intention, signals a new form of rebellion — one rooted in artistic autonomy.
Min Hee Jin and The Legal Weight Behind Her Creative Vision
To understand the meaning of OOAK, you have to look at what came before it.
The former ADOR CEO and NewJeans producer is still entangled in multiple lawsuits with HYBE, including shareholder disputes and a workplace harassment case. At the same time, ADOR’s lawsuit against NewJeans continues to dominate headlines, restricting the group from pursuing any independent activities until the final verdict.
This legal turbulence, however, has amplified the narrative of resistance — a woman standing up to one of Korea’s largest entertainment conglomerates.
Because for us as fans, Min Hee Jin’s story has transcended corporate drama. It’s now symbolic of a fight for creative freedom in an industry that often measures value in control.
And that’s why OOAK resonates — it’s not simply a new K-pop agency by Min Hee Jin but a statement that creativity can survive beyond structure.
OOAK: Independent Labels and the New Power Map of K-Pop
OOAK’s creation hints at a bigger shift brewing inside K-pop — the rise of independent creative houses.
In an era where mega-agencies like HYBE, SM, and JYP dominate every stage, independent labels are beginning to carve their own ecosystems. Some thrive on niche fandoms, rooted in the fame and influence of their celebrity founders. Others on corporate backups.
Now, Min Hee Jin and her new agency OOAK could be the first major label to prove that original artistic credibility can compete with corporate scale and celebrity influence.
And as fans, we are all evolving as well.
The audience that once idolized glossy perfection now gravitates toward authenticity, individuality, and deeper creative storytelling. OOAK stands at that intersection — a space where fandom emotion meets artistic purpose.
Eventually, as more producers and artists grow disillusioned with rigid idol systems, Min Hee Jin’s model might become the blueprint for a new generation of label founders — vision-first, company-second.
Min Hee Jin & New OOAK Agency: A New Era of a Woman’s Place in K-Pop Power
There’s also something deeply symbolic about who Min Hee Jin is — a woman in her 40s, navigating one of the toughest industries in Asia, building her second empire in full public view.
At the same time, her long-time rival and former corporate counterpart, HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk, faces growing scrutiny over alleged fraudulent IPO practices — a scandal that has shaken fans who once hailed him as the “father of K-pop.”
In that light, the comeback of Min Hee Jin through her new agency OOAK feels even more significant.
K-pop has always celebrated female idols, but rarely female power figures. Just look at what happened to previous HYBE executives like Elly Chae Eun, who left before ever receiving full recognition for her role in the company’s U.S. expansion.
That is why Min Hee Jin now stands out as one of the few not only shaped the modern K-pop image but also dared to demand authorship of it.
Love her or criticize her, she’s undeniably redefining what female leadership looks like in the Korean entertainment industry.
Because in a space that often sidelines creative women like K-pop, the comeback of the visionary Min Hee Jin through her new agency label OOAK sends a louder message than any debut stage ever could:
Artistry and authority can coexist — and even thrive — when women lead the narrative.
A New Beginning That Feels Familiar
OOAK might be small now — a modest office, limited capital, and a sketch for a insignia — but it already feels like something bigger. It’s a continuation of everything Min Hee Jin has always done: creating worlds, provoking emotions, and making the public talk.
As the Oct. 30 ruling approaches, fans and investors alike are watching closely. If NewJeans is free, the industry may face its most unpredictable realignment yet. If not, OOAK will still stand — a reminder that the future of K-pop won’t always be built by corporations, but by creators brave enough to start again.
What do you think? Would you trust an independent label like OOAK to lead the next era of K-pop? Share your thoughts below — this conversation is just beginning.
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