On October 15, during the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee audit held in Yeouido, Seoul, NewJeans’ Hanni and ADOR CEO Kim Joo-Young appeared as a witness and a reference respectively, to address the issue of workplace bullying.
Hanni began her statement by recalling an incident where she locked eyes with her manager, only to hear the manager say to other staff members, “Ignore her, act like you didn’t see her.” She expressed her frustration, saying, “I don’t understand why I had to go through something like this.”
She continued, “I felt that if I didn’t come here today, this issue would be quietly buried. This is something anyone could experience.”
In response, Kim Yu-young revealed, “I heard about that on June 13 when I was a board member at Adore. After hearing it, I felt it was my responsibility as a board member to protect the artists, so I requested to check the CCTV.”
He added, “The manager mentioned in this context is not affiliated with our Adore company; they belong to a different company with a different CEO. Nevertheless, I requested confirmation from both the artist and the manager of that label regarding these facts.”
Kim also mentioned, “Unfortunately, the CCTV has reached its retention period, and I inquired whether it could be restored. I am taking all possible measures. The claims are conflicting, but I believe Hanni’s account. I am also frustrated and am trying to find any evidence to prove it, but unfortunately, I have not been able to secure any.“
Meanwhile, Hanni claimed during a YouTube live broadcast with NewJeans members on September 11 that she was ignored by artists and managers affiliated with her parent company, HYBE.
In the broadcast, Hanni stated, “I greeted another artist and their manager in the hallway of the HYBE building, and the manager told me to ‘ignore it.’ I don’t understand why we have to go through this.”
Following this, fans filed a complaint with the Seoul Western Employment Labor Office, which is currently investigating whether the situation constitutes “workplace bullying.”
Belift Lab, a label under HYBE, reported that the findings from the CCTV review indicated that these claims are not true. Belift Lab stated, “Our staff responsible for protocols use respectful language towards the artists, so the assertion that someone said ‘ignore it’ does not align with objective facts.”
