"We Are Hive Outcasts" NewJeans Reveals... Labor Ministry Complaint Filed

NewJeans States Position in Live Broadcast
Hani: "Other Team Manager Told Me to Ignore"
Complainant: "If Bullying Is True, It's Workplace Harassment"

NewJeans members expressed their position through a YouTube live broadcast on the 11th. Photo by YouTube channel 'nwjns' capture

Group NewJeans has had a complaint filed with the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding allegations of workplace bullying within the company.

Complainant A filed a petition on the 12th stating, "I strongly urge the Ministry of Employment and Labor to investigate the bullying allegations involving NewJeans members within HYBE and to impose strict penalties on those found guilty of illegal acts." A said, "As a fan who usually supports NewJeans, I could not help but feel outraged after watching the members' live video yesterday," adding, "In particular, I believe there is a need to uncover the substantive truth behind the 'bullying allegations within HYBE involving NewJeans,' so I requested an investigation through the national petition system by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which has exclusive investigative authority under the Labor Standards Act." Furthermore, he added, "If the bullying allegations by NewJeans members are true, the company could be violating Article 76-2 (Prohibition of Workplace Harassment) and Article 76-3 (Measures to be Taken When Workplace Harassment Occurs) of the Labor Standards Act."

On the 11th, NewJeans members criticized HYBE during a YouTube live broadcast and requested, "Please reinstate former ADORE CEO Min Hee-jin by the 25th." During this, they appealed, "Since the conflict between former CEO Min and HYBE began, we have experienced numerous unfair situations," and "We only worked hard for our dreams, so what did we do wrong?"

In particular, member Hanni shared, "There is a place on the 4th floor of the HYBE building where we get hair and makeup done. While I was there alone, another group member passed by, so we greeted each other." She continued, "However, that group's manager told the member to 'ignore me.' He said it openly so that I could hear." She revealed, "I told Kim Ju-young, the new CEO of ADORE, about this incident, but I was told it was an old matter and there was no evidence, so nothing could be done," expressing, "I felt like I had become a liar." In response, Minji said, "I was really shocked when I heard about this from Hanni," adding, "That manager neither apologized nor admitted fault."

Previously, the parents of NewJeans members also mentioned in an interview with a media outlet that "HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk does not acknowledge greetings from NewJeans." They said, "We protested to the company about the members being ignored, but the only response we received was that 'Chairman Bang has prosopagnosia (face blindness), so that's why.'"

Meanwhile, HYBE has been in ongoing conflict with former CEO Min since April, when allegations of breach of trust were raised against him. Former CEO Min was dismissed from his position as ADORE CEO on the 27th of last month, and Kim Ju-young, an internal director at ADORE, was appointed as the new CEO.