
A member of the K-pop group NewJeans spoke out about workplace harassment in the K-pop industry at a hearing in South Korea’s Parliament. NewJeans and their agency Hybe, that also manages BTS, have been in dispute for months, which started from a press conference of Min Hee-jin, the producer of NewJeans.
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Hanni, the NewJeans member, asserted that her agency Hybe had constantly impeded and discriminated against her group. She talked about how a senior Hybe employee had once told members of another group to ignore her. “I saw a manager along with three other members from another group and said hello. When the manager saw me, she told the members to ‘ignore her like you didn’t see her’", she said. This alleged incident took place during the dispute between Min Hee-jin and Hybe, after Hybe filed a legal complaint against her for defamation and obstruction of business.Â
Earlier this year, Hybe replaced Ms. Min with Ms Kim as the chief executive of Hybe's record label Ador. Ms. Min’s press conference, a direct response to Hybe’s accusations, led to a big ramification to the Korean community. She alleged the down side of the K-pop industry and especially Korean agency Hybe. She pointed out the discrimination and corruption in the agency, where certain groups were regarded superior to others. This event shook the public, and more evidence against the Hybe agency has gone public.Â
Then, in September, NewJeans went public with their dissatisfaction at the situation, posting a video of their plea of returning Ms. Min to Ador and made claims of workplace harassment.Â
Kim Joo-young, who is the current CEO of Ador, was also called to testify at the hearing. She said that she had looked into the incident but could not come to a conclusion, with lack of evidence and different accounts of what happened.Â
The K-pop industry has been known for its extreme and demanding training systems, implying the unfair contracts and flaws behind the lively and vibrant shows. This ongoing dispute reveals the reality of the treatments of K-pop idols, raising concerns on their well-being and the ethical standards upheld by entertainment companies.Â
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