[Herald Economy = Reporter Kim Kwang-woo] Min Hee-jin, CEO of OK Records, visited Gwangju on the 12th and gave a special lecture at Chonnam National University, the birthplace of the May 18 uprising.According to Yonhap News, Min spoke at the university’s Yongjigwan Convention Hall and said, “Change requires an uprising. Even if it doesn’t end in success, resistance still carries great meaning for the world,” invoking the May 18 spirit, which she characterized as “resistance.”
The lecture, organized by Chonnam National University’s May 18 Research Institute to mark its 30th anniversary and the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Movement, drew so many students and citizens that the hall and the corridors were packed.
Min described the May 18 events as “a fact and part of our history,” and warned that citizens should not turn away from that history even if some try to politicize or reinterpret it.
Explaining why she founded an independent label after launching NewJeans as head of ADOR under HYBE and later going through management disputes, Min emphasized returning to fundamental principles.
“I started a label because I wanted to make music,” she said. “When the basics are solid, that alone can sustain an industry. People who focus on the essentials inevitably reshape the broader landscape.”
She added that a basic defense is necessary to protect artists and prevent capital from overrunning the creative sphere.
On the local issue of relocating the Korea National University of Arts (KNUA) to Gwangju, she expressed opposition.
“Politicians and artists think differently, and that can produce ill-conceived policies,” she said. “For example, I oppose suddenly relocating KNUA to Gwangju. Artificial initiatives are often sidelined in culture and rejected by the public.”
Before the lecture, Min paid her respects at the May 18 National Cemetery.
