NewJeans Hanni "Ignored Greetings Since Debut... Sure Company Dislikes Us" [2024 National Audit]

National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee Hearing Witness Appearance
"What I Experienced at HYBE Could Happen to Anyone"

Group NewJeans member Hani (20, Hani Palm) appeared at the National Assembly audit to appeal about bullying she suffered within HYBE.

NewJeans' Hani is entering the meeting room to attend the Environment and Labor Committee's national audit held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th as a witness. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the afternoon of the 15th, during the Environment and Labor Committee's National Assembly audit held at the National Assembly, Hani appeared as a reference witness on the issue of 'idol bullying and workplace harassment,' while Kim Juyoung, CEO of ADOR and Chief Human Resources Officer of HYBE, appeared as a witness.

During the audit, discussions were held regarding the issue of 'idol bullying and workplace harassment.' Before Hani's statement, Ahn Hoyoung, chairman of the Environment and Labor Committee, said, "Hani Palm, who appears as a reference witness, is a foreigner and not fluent in Korean. Nevertheless, she came without an interpreter. We ask for the committee members' understanding if her speech is slow or awkward during questioning."

Following this, Hani said, "There is a floor in the office building where hair and makeup are done. I finished first and was waiting in the hallway when members from another label passed by me," adding, "Previously, they greeted me well. About 5 to 10 minutes later, they came out again, and I was still in the same spot. As they came out, a manager from another team made eye contact with me and told the members following to 'pretend not to see and ignore me,'" she reiterated.

She continued, "I don't understand why I have to go through this, and I couldn't understand the environment where such people work in the first place. But the problem was not just once or twice," she lamented.

Additionally, Hani explained, "I know that if I don't come out here, this will quietly pass and be buried. This is something anyone can experience. I came out with the hope that seniors, peers, and trainees won't have to go through this."

NewJeans' Hani is entering the meeting room to attend the Environment and Labor Committee's audit held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th as a witness. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Earlier, during a NewJeans YouTube live broadcast last month, Hani claimed that a manager from another group under a HYBE label said "Ignore her" loud enough for her to hear. The manager in question is in charge of protocol for the group 'I-LIT.'

Billieblab, the label to which I-LIT belongs, denied the allegations by releasing CCTV footage and investigation results, stating that the claims were not true as the controversy spread. Kim Juyoung, CEO of ADOR who appeared as a witness that day, stated, "Opinions on this matter are divided."

Hani said, "Since the beginning of my debut, I have encountered high-ranking people at HYBE who never greeted me," adding, "What I understood while living in Korea was that you should greet those who are older."

The biggest issue in Hani's National Assembly audit regarding 'idol bullying and workplace harassment' was whether idols like NewJeans members fall under the category of 'workers' under the Labor Standards Act.