ADOR, the HYBE-owned label behind K-pop powerhouse NewJeans, has appointed Lee Do-kyung as its new CEO.

The appointment comes just a year after Kim Ju-won, formerly HYBE’s chief personnel officer, took over as ADOR CEO following the departure of Min Hee-jin in August last year.

ADOR’s board stated that under Kim Ju-won’s leadership, the company successfully stabilized its organizational and management structure. With that milestone reached, the board appointed a new CEO to transition into a more agile operating model — one designed to better support artist activities and accelerate business initiatives.

Lee Do-kyung, ADOR’s newly appointed CEO, joined the company in 2019, when HYBE was still operating under its former name, Big Hit Entertainment. Since then, she has spearheaded a range of new business ventures and most recently served as Vice President of the IPX Business Division, which oversees artist IP-driven projects such as merchandise and pop-up stores.

The leadership change comes amid ongoing tensions between ADOR and NewJeans regarding their exclusive contract. With a second round of mediation set for early September, industry observers are closely watching to see whether the appointment of a new CEO could help bridge the gap between the two sides. Reflecting the heightened public interest, nearly 100 domestic media outlets reported on the CEO transition within 24 hours of ADOR’s press release on August 20.

Meanwhile, ADOR has also announced plans to launch a new boy group and is currently holding auditions.