On Sep 11th, during an emergency live broadcast, NewJeans requested the reinstatement of former CEO Min Hee-jin by Sep 25th. The group revealed that their trust in HYBE was shattered because no one protected them from being bullied within the company.
Hanni shared that while waiting in the hallway to get her hair and makeup done, she overheard a manager from another HYBE-affiliated team telling someone to “ignore” her. When she reported the incident to Kim Joo-young, the newly appointed CEO of ADOR, her concerns were dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
Hanni expressed her frustration, “The new people who say they want to help are just making excuses, saying that nothing can be done. Even though I experienced it, they try to blame me. I’m worried and scared about what might happen in the future.”
Minji added, “I was shocked when I heard Hanni’s story, so I reported it to the company, but they took no action. The other team neither apologized nor acknowledged their mistake. I’m also worried that we might be subtly ostracized.”
The revelation sent Bunnies (NewJeans’ fan club) into an uproar. Fans immediately filed a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, demanding a thorough investigation into the bullying case at HYBE and that any illegal activities be severely punished.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s “Workplace Bullying Judgment and Prevention Response Manual” released in May 2023, workplace bullying is defined under labor law as acts where an employer or employee, using their superior position in the workplace, causes physical or mental distress or worsens the work environment for others. Acts such as group bullying, intentional exclusion, or ignoring someone during work tasks are considered to go beyond the acceptable boundaries of workplace conduct.
Fans’ anger has not only been directed at ADOR and HYBE but has also spilled over to other HYBE-affiliated artists. LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, in particular, have faced an onslaught of malicious comments. As of the morning of Sep 12th, comments like “It must be either the manager of ILLIT or LE SSERAFIM” flooded content related to the two groups.
Source: Nate
