NewJeans bullying claims spark fan-led petition against HYBE

NewJeans reveals mistreatment at HYBE; calls for the reinstatement of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin

K-pop group NewJeans has made headlines after members revealed they were subjected to bullying within HYBE, sparking public outrage. On Sep 12, a netizen identified as “A” filed a petition with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, calling for a full investigation into the allegations and demanding accountability if any illegal activities are uncovered.

“As a fan of NewJeans, I was outraged after watching the video where the members shared their experiences. These allegations of bullying within HYBE must be thoroughly investigated to uncover the truth,” A stated. They also confirmed submitting the request for an investigation to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which has the authority to investigate under the Labor Standards Act.

A further emphasized, “If the claims are true, HYBE could have violated Article 76-2 (Prohibition of Workplace Harassment) and Article 76-3 (Measures Against Workplace Harassment) of the Labor Standards Act. If illegal actions are confirmed, those responsible must face severe consequences.”

On Sep 11, NewJeans members held a guerrilla live streaming without informing their agency, ADOR. During the broadcast, they voiced their distrust of HYBE and demanded the return of former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin by Sep 25.

The group particularly highlighted instances of mistreatment, with Hanni sharing, “I recently encountered another idol and their manager at a makeup studio. I overheard the manager say, loud enough for me to hear, ‘Ignore her (Hanni).’” Minji added, “How could a manager from the same company openly tell someone to ignore a fellow team member? We reported it to the company, but nothing was done. The other team didn’t apologize or even acknowledge their actions.”

[Baek Ji-eun (Sports Chosun)]

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