On September 11, during an emergency live broadcast, NewJeans requested the reinstatement of former CEO Min Hee-jin by September 25. The group revealed that their trust in HYBE had been shattered because no one had protected them from bullying within the company.
Hanni said that while waiting in the hallway to get her hair and makeup done, she heard a manager from another HYBE-affiliated team tell someone to “ignore her.” When she reported the incident to Kim Joo-young, ADOR’s newly appointed CEO, her concerns were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Hanni expressed his frustration, “The new people who say they want to help are just making excuses, saying that nothing can be done. Even though I have experienced it, they try to blame me. I am 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 sparked the ire of the Bunnies (NewJeans fan club). The 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 activity be severely punished.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s “Workplace Bullying Judgment and Prevention Response Manual,” published in May 2023, workplace bullying is defined by labor law as acts in which an employer or employee, using his or her 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 activities are considered beyond the acceptable limits of workplace conduct.
Fans’ anger was not only directed at ADOR and HYBE, but also spilled over to other HYBE-affiliated artists. LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, in particular, faced a wave of malicious comments. Starting on the morning of September 12, comments such as “Must be the manager of ILLIT or LE SSERAFIM” flooded content relating to the two groups.
Source: Nate
