NewJeans' Hanni intends to testify on bullying claims at National Assembly

NewJeans' Hanni departs from the Gucci Spring Summer 2025 collection, which took place in Milan, Italy, Sept. 20. AP-Yonhap

Hanni of the girl group NewJeans has made a surprising statement, expressing her willingness to testify at a National Assembly audit over workplace bullying allegations.

Hanni shared her decision Wednesday on NewJeans' fan communication platform, Phoning, saying, "I’ve decided. I will attend the National Assembly alone for the audit."

She reassured fans not to worry about her participation, saying, "I’ve made the decision for myself, the other members of NewJeans, and Bunnies (NewJeans' fandom). It’s not hard for me. I want to attend."

Hanni also revealed that neither her managers nor her agency were aware of her decision yet.

"I’ve thought about it a lot, and I believe it’s the right thing to do. I wanted to let Bunnies know first," she added.

Hanni emphasized that while she doesn’t know what will come from this experience, she believes it will be a valuable learning opportunity. She also affirmed her commitment to "protect NewJeans and Bunnies."

The controversy began on Sept. 11, when Hanni raised allegations of being bullied by the manager of HYBE’s other girl group, ILLIT, during a YouTube live broadcast calling for the return of former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin.

Hanni claimed that after greeting a member of ILLIT, the group’s manager instructed them to "ignore her."

Girl group ILLIT / Courtesy of Belift Lab

The situation has since sparked a back-and-forth between NewJeans and ILLIT camps.

Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE Labels and the agency managing ILLIT, denied allegations of workplace bullying raised by members of NewJeans.

"ILLIT's managers never instructed anyone to 'ignore' NewJeans members, and the ILLIT members have always greeted NewJeans when passing by," the agency said.

The denial follows a public statement from Ador artist NewJeans, who, during a surprise live broadcast on Sept. 11, criticized Belift Lab and its parent company, HYBE Labels.

As the allegations escalated, the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee decided to summon Hanni and HYBE’s Chief Human Resources Officer Kim Joo-young, who also serves as the CEO of Ador, as witnesses for the upcoming comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Economic, Social and Labor Council on Oct. 15.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.