South Korean lawmakers, Hanni, a member of the popular K-pop group NewJeans, alleged that the entertainment agency Hybe has systematically undermined her band and ignored her concerns. The 20-year-old artist recounted her experiences during a hearing focused on workplace harassment, expressing her deep disillusionment with the treatment she and her bandmates have received.
“I came to the realisation that this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us,” Hanni stated, shedding tears as she spoke.
Her testimony comes in the wake of NewJeans publicly voicing their dissatisfaction following the dismissal of their mentor, Min Hee-Jin. Min, who co-founded the group’s record label Ador in 2021 and played a pivotal role in their rise, was removed from her position in August after facing accusations of planning to leave Hybe with NewJeans.
During the hearing held by the Labour Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly, Hanni detailed troubling incidents that illustrated her experiences of neglect. In one instance, she recalled how a manager instructed members of another band to “ignore her” when she greeted them at the Hybe offices. “I don’t understand why she would say something like that in the work environment,” Hanni remarked.
Further elaborating on her experiences, Hanni noted, “Since my debut [in NewJeans], we ran into a person in a high-up position many times, but they never greeted me when I greeted them.” She emphasized the cultural importance of politeness in Korea, stating, “I think it’s just disrespectful as a human being to not greet us, regardless of our professional status.”
Hanni also accused employees of disparaging NewJeans on an internal communications app and claimed that Hybe’s PR department attempted to downplay the group’s achievements in the media. Despite Hybe’s previous denial of these allegations, Hanni felt that the actions reinforced her belief that the company was hostile towards them.
Kim Joo-young, CEO of Ador, testified at the hearing and expressed empathy for Hanni’s experiences. While she believed Hanni’s account of being shunned, she admitted being “unable to find supporting evidence” as CCTV footage had expired before she could request it. “I wonder if there was more I could have done,” she said, pledging to cooperate with an investigation by South Korea’s Ministry of Labour.
