On October 15, attorney Go Sang-rok from Law Firm Pill, responding to TenAsia’s inquiry about whether Hanni‘s claims could be recognized as workplace bullying if true, began by saying, “It’s very difficult.” He explained, “Even if we set aside the issue of whether celebrities like Hanni are considered employees, we need to analyze whether the unfair treatment Hanni experienced constitutes workplace bullying. There are three key points to consider here.”
Attorney Go pointed out, “The manager mentioned as saying ‘Ignore her’ is neither an employer of NewJeans nor a workplace colleague of NewJeans.” He also noted that even if they were considered workplace colleagues, it would be very difficult to determine that the manager has a superior position in the relationship compared to the artist. Lastly, he mentioned that it’s nearly impossible to legally prove that there was “an intention to bully NewJeans” in the unfair treatment Hanni claims.
He explained, “It’s hard to say for sure that a single phrase like ‘Ignore her’ can be recognized as an act causing mental distress. We can’t judge based on that single incident without considering the full context and circumstances before and after.” He added, “Even the claim that HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk didn’t return greetings is very difficult to prove as intentional workplace bullying. While the overall context might suggest that, when analyzing each action individually, the case is admittedly weak.”
However, Attorney Go also stated, “Making a lot of money doesn’t justify being overworked. If the Labor Standards Act can’t address this issue, it should be resolved through additional legislative and administrative actions. As social awareness increases, public discourse is also forming, and discussions are taking place.”
He continued, “Celebrities often start their social lives as minors, which puts them at a higher risk of unfair treatment or exploitation, necessitating social protection. From a macro perspective, it’s positive that public debate is happening to improve the industry’s overall structure and address these issues.”
On October 15, NewJeans’ Hanni and CEO Kim Joo-young appeared as witnesses at the National Assembly audit. Hanni revealed the circumstances surrounding the “Ignore her” incident and claimed that unfair treatment within HYBE and ADOR continues. In response to Hanni’s claims, ADOR CEO Kim Joo-young stated that they are having difficulty mediating due to the lack of video evidence from the day of the incident, and promised to carefully improve the situation.
Source: Daum
