On October 15, NewJeans’ Hanni testified at the National Assembly about bullying at HYBE, emphasizing the treatment NewJeans has endured and firmly criticizing ADOR’s CEO Kim Joo-young. Many found Kim Joo-young’s explanation for the deleted CCTV footage unsatisfactory, raising suspicions of legal assistance.
While idols occasionally visit the National Assembly for promotional events, it is rare for a 20-year-old to address workplace bullying. The tensions between Min Hee-jin, a board member seeking contract renegotiations, and HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk are escalating, with both sides seemingly trying to undermine one another.
Following Hanni’s appearance, concerns among NewJeans and their fandom, Bunnies, have grown regarding potential discrimination and the possibility of reduced activities or even disbandment. HYBE has denied these claims, but with NewJeans only accounting for 5% of total sales, the activation of a backup plan remains a concern.
There are various speculations regarding Hanni’s appearance as a witness, instead of the more assertive Minji. Hanni was chosen as a witness due to her personal experience with bullying and her Vietnamese-Australian background, which some believe may strategically highlight issues of discrimination against HYBE. She stated, “HYBE definitely dislikes us,” noting how the members were consistently ignored by Bang Si-hyuk despite attempts to greet him.
HYBE responded by claiming Bang Si-hyuk has a “facial recognition disability.” A music industry insider remarked, “Now that Hanni is here, wouldn’t it have been better if she directly mentioned Bang Si-hyuk instead of asking for an apology from a team manager? After all, the main target of NewJeans’ grievances is Bang Si-hyuk, right?”
During the defense, when asked about respecting worker’s human rights, Kim Joo-young stated, “Artists are not considered workers,” raising questions about the treatment of idols earning significant incomes. While they hold subordinate contracts, successful idols often attain a status equal to or higher than their agencies. A sharp comment pointed out the irony of struggling with student loans while earning 5.2 billion won (approx 4 million USD) a year.
Some speculate Hanni’s comments were meant to embarrass HYBE and weaken its negotiating power against Min Hee-jin, especially if she seeks substantial investment to take NewJeans with her. The penalty for breaking their contract is estimated at around 300 billion won (approx 230.77 million USD), calculated based on average monthly sales over the last two years. HYBE’s financial report shows ADOR had sales of 110.3 billion won (approx 84.85 million USD) last year, with each member reportedly earning 5.2 billion won shortly after debuting.
