On October 15th, South Korea’s National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee held a hearing regarding allegations of idol bullying and workplace harassment. ADOR’s CEO Ju Young Kim, representing HYBE, the country’s top entertainment company, appeared as a witness to answer questions from lawmakers. Notably, during this hearing, HYBE was accused of covering up the death of one of its employees.
In particular, Progressive Party member Jeong Hye-kyung questioned CEO Ju Young Kim, asking if it is true that an employee collapsed while working at the office in February 2022, was taken to the hospital, and later passed away.
In response, Ju Young Kim admitted that an employee had indeed passed away due to health issues at that time, stating, “As far as I know, this incident occurred in September 2022. The employee collapsed while working, and we took them to the hospital. Unfortunately, they passed away a few days later due to a personal health condition.”
However, Jeong Hye-kyung countered, arguing that the Environment and Labor Committee viewed the case as death from overwork. According to the Progressive Party member, at the time of the employee’s death, HYBE was expanding its operations and establishing numerous subsidiaries. This led to a situation where one employee had to manage several idol groups at once, including overseas schedules, resulting in excessive overtime and inadequate rest.
Jeong Hye-kyung suspected HYBE of covering up the employee’s death and noted that no industrial accident claim had been submitted to the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service after the employee’s death, which seemed unusual.
“It appears to be a case of death from overwork. Was there a cover-up involved?” Jeong Hye-kyung asked.
Ju Young Kim immediately denied the allegations, stating, “There was no cover-up.” The CEO explained that the decision not to perform an autopsy was made by the family of the deceased.
However, Jeong Hye-kyung retorted that the CEO’s explanation seemed like an excuse to downplay the matter, stating, “Reaching an agreement with the family of the deceased is also a form of cover-up. We request that your company verify and provide us with an accurate report on the incident.”
After the hearing, someone claiming to be a former colleague of the deceased HYBE employee stirred up more controversy by accusing the entertainment company of concealing the true cause of death.
“He didn’t die from a personal illness. At that time, he was still young. Many colleagues attended his memorial service and funeral. It’s ridiculous to say that no industrial accident claim was filed. How could the deceased have done that?”, this person said.
The accusations have caused an uproar in South Korea. Many have pointed out that working night shifts and dying from overwork are not uncommon in the entertainment industry, though the issue has rarely been pursued this far. Authorities are continuing to investigate these allegations to determine whether HYBE covered up the employee’s death from overwork.
In 2024, HYBE has been in the media spotlight not for its achievements or revenue, but for controversies and dark truths. The leading entertainment company has become embroiled in legal disputes and power struggles with Min Hee Jin, the woman behind NewJeans.
In addition, there was also the shocking news that trainee Camila Sterling (24) had died of a drug overdose after spending the night with a senior executive from HYBE America. Furthermore, many of the company’s top idols have also been suffering from relentless schedules, leading to frequent injuries.
Source: K14, Nate
