NewJeans' Hanni testifies at National Assembly over bullying claim

Hanni, a member of K-pop act NewJeans, attends a National Assembly audit held in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday, to testify on workplace harassment in the entertainment industry. Yonhap

By Pyo Kyung-min

• Published Oct 15, 2024 7:35 PM KST
• Updated Oct 16, 2024 4:34 PM KST

Hanni, a member of K-pop group NewJeans, spoke out about her experiences with workplace bullying and systemic discrimination within HYBE Labels, the parent company of her agency Ador, during a National Assembly audit, Tuesday.

Testifying voluntarily at an Assembly audit on workplace harassment in the entertainment industry, the 20-year-old singer detailed an incident in which she said she was ignored by a manager from another HYBE subsidiary.

The incident, first made public during a surprise YouTube livestream created on Sept. 11, prompted public concerns that Hanni might be a victim of workplace bullying. She claimed that while she greeted an artist from the HYBE umbrella, the artist's manager allegedly told their team to "ignore her."

The manager, later revealed to be working for the group ILLIT under Belift Lab, denied the allegations, citing a lack of supporting evidence from CCTV footage.

Responding to questions during the audit, Hanni expressed disbelief at the manager's alleged remark.

"I don't understand why I had to endure this or why such words were spoken in that environment," she said. "This has happened more than once ... I know that if I don't speak up, the issue will quietly fade away. I came forward because I don't want anyone else in the industry — whether they are seniors, juniors, peers or trainees — to go through the same thing."

Rep. An Ho-young, from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and chair of the Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, said the committee chose Hanni to testify in order to highlight how the definition of labor is changing. He noted that new kinds of workers have emerged due to technological advancements, and many of them are not covered by traditional labor laws.

Also attending the audit was Ador's new CEO, Kim Ju-young, former chief human resource officer at HYBE who replaced Min Hee-jin in August. Min was responsible for NewJeans' overall concept, visual identity, and musical direction. Hanni criticized the new CEO's response to her complaints, accusing Kim and her label of having no genuine intention to protect NewJeans.

Hanni said when she initially reported the issue, Kim dismissed it, saying there was no evidence, despite the existence of CCTV footage.

"I checked the footage and it only included an eight-second clip. The rest — about 50 minutes — was missing," Hanni said. "When I asked why, (Kim's) explanations kept changing throughout the meeting. At one point, she even said the video had been deleted."

The Vietnamese Australian idol told lawmakers that she does not fully understand Korean as a foreigner. "So I recorded the meeting to avoid missing important details. I have proof that they lied."

Speaking as a witness, Kim responded that she "believes Hanni's claims" and has been trying to verify them, but the evidence remains inconclusive.

"The manager involved is from another HYBE subsidiary, not Ador," Kim said. "We have requested confirmation from that label's artists and staff. Afterward, we took every possible step, including attempting to retrieve the CCTV footage, though it had expired."

Kim also admitted she could have handled the situation better, saying, "Hearing Hanni's concerns, I wonder if I could have done more."

Hanni further alleged that there is a broader atmosphere of discrimination within HYBE Labels. She described a "hostile" work environment where NewJeans has been treated unfairly.

"At first, I thought it was just my personal feeling," Hanni said. "But then I saw HYBE employees criticize us on Blind (an online workplace community). I also heard a recording of a member of HYBE's PR team trying to downplay our debut in Japan and our success. That's when I realized the negative atmosphere wasn't just a feeling — it was real."

In response, Kim told the lawmakers that the company would "listen to the artist's voice and strengthen communication." She added, "Given that the claims from both sides differ, it is important to clarify the facts. We will cooperate fully with the ongoing labor ministry investigation to uncover the truth."

Currently, the Ministry of Employment and Labor is conducting an investigation into allegations of workplace bullying at Ador and HYBE, prompted by a complaint filed by a NewJeans fan following the group's unexpected livestream in September.

A major point of contention during the audit was whether NewJeans members qualify as employees under the Labor Standards Act. Hanni's allegations have sparked a debate about whether artists under entertainment companies are entitled to the protections provided by the act.

Kim, representing HYBE, reiterated the company's position during the audit that artists are not classified as employees and, therefore, are not protected by the Labor Standards Act.

"There is ongoing discussion about whether artists should be considered employees, but for now, they are not," Kim said.

Hanni emphasized the universal human element central to the issue.

"I'm grateful to the National Assembly for providing this opportunity," she said. "While laws alone cannot resolve all the issues, a basic respect for each other as human beings could significantly reduce problems of workplace harassment and bullying."