SEOUL, NOV 18 — HYBE’s newly released third-quarter financial results have sparked fresh debate among K-pop fans after NewJeans’ label ADOR reported a 4.50 billion Korean won (RM12.8 million) in net profit despite the group being largely inactive amid an ongoing dispute with the company.
According to Korean entertainment news outlet Koreaboo, HYBE published revenue and profit figures for its major subsidiaries — including BigHit Music, Pledis Entertainment, Source Music, Belift Lab and KOZ Entertainment — in a financial disclosure posted on its official website on November 14.
Ador recorded 24.4 billion won in revenue for the quarter, a performance that surprised fans given that NewJeans had carried out almost no official activities while tensions between the members and the label continued.
The figures also showed strong performances from other HYBE labels, with Pledis posting 46.6 billion won in net profit and Belift Lab earning 28.6 billion won.
Online, fans questioned how NewJeans generated revenue during what many described as a “hiatus,” with one comment asking, “NewJeans was off for a whole year. How did they make that much?”
Others suggested the numbers may reflect lower expenses during the dispute, while some argued the results show the group’s lasting commercial strength despite recent controversies.
The group has been in a prolonged conflict with ADOR since early 2024, when internal disputes and allegations of mismanagement disrupted promotions and delayed their long-awaited return.
