Some fans of girl group NewJeans staged a protest outside the building of K-pop giant Hybe in Seoul on Wednesday, deploying a "protest truck" to voice their grievances against the chief of its sub-label in an escalating conflict with the parent company.

"Min Hee-jin should no longer use NewJeans and its family," blared an electronic billboard mounted on the truck sent by the members of Bunnies, the group's fandom.

Min is the CEO of ADOR.

Other messages repeatedly flashed included, "Min immediately stop disparaging other artists" and "Bunnies support NewJeans under Hybe."

Min has been locking horns with Hybe, claiming that ILLIT, a new girl group launched by another sub-label of Hybe last month, copied NewJeans, a product of her label's creativity.

She raised the issue once again in a statement released Monday after Hybe launched an audit into her and her aides over their alleged attempt to seize management control of their company. She has denied the allegations.

Min officially responded to Hybe's audit questionnaire Wednesday. Hybe declined to comment on the details of Min's response, citing legal constraints.

NewJeans is scheduled to drop a new single titled "How Sweet" on May 24.