The team behind Min Hee-jin, head of OOAK Records and a central figure in the ongoing legal battle with HYBE, has issued an explanation following controversy over a “disconnected PR contact number” that surfaced during recent court proceedings.
According to Sports Donga, the issue emerged after Min Hee-jin distributed multiple press releases during her November court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. In an attempt to verify the material, the outlet contacted the phone number listed as the PR representative — only to find that the number was no longer in service, prompting questions about the legitimacy of the documents.
The following day, the individual identified as “OOAK Records PR Team [Name Withheld]” sent an explanatory email to the newsroom. The person apologized for the confusion, stating that the number change occurred after press materials were sent out.
“After first contacting you during last week’s hearing via the press release, the number was changed. I didn’t have the time to notify you immediately due to circumstances,” the representative wrote.
When reached through a new phone number, the PR staff member said the issue resulted from transitioning from a personal phone to a company-issued one.
“I was using my personal phone. When switching to a company phone, the previous number was disconnected, and that caused the confusion,” the representative explained.
Interestingly, the last four digits of both the old and new numbers were identical. When asked, the representative simply replied, “We created the new number with the same last digits.”
Questions also arose regarding the individual’s employment status. During the November hearing, Min Hee-jin initially stated to the court that OOAK Records had no employees, but later corrected herself after the PR representative’s name was mentioned.
The PR staff member clarified the situation: “I think Min Hee-jin said she had no employees because my employment contract hadn’t been formally signed yet. It’s true I recently joined and we agreed I would work with her.”
This is not the first time a phone-number-related dispute involving Min Hee-jin’s circle has surfaced. In September, an individual using a number with the exact same last four digits contacted reporters claiming to be Min’s “legal representative,” yet declined to clarify their full identity. Later investigation revealed the person to be a lawyer from a domestic law firm.
With the PR-number confusion now addressed, attention remains fixed on Min Hee-jin’s high-profile legal clash with HYBE — a dispute which continues to generate intense media scrutiny and industry speculation.
Sources: Sports Donga,Newsis