An enraged fan of the girl group NewJeans has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, after the group revealed they had been mistreated within their agency, HYBE.
On the 12th, this fan, identified as "A," expressed their frustration on an online community, stating, “As a fan who supports NewJeans, I couldn’t hold back my anger after watching the video of their revelations. I felt that the truth behind the claims of NewJeans being ostracized at HYBE must be uncovered, so I have requested an investigation from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which holds exclusive authority over labor laws.” A screenshot of the fan's complaint was also shared.
The fan added that the case is expected to be assigned to the Seoul Western District Office of the Ministry, which oversees the area where HYBE’s headquarters is located. They also promised to update the public on any progress.
On the 11th, NewJeans held a 30-minute live stream on their newly launched YouTube channel titled “What NewJeans Wants to Say.” In the video, they directly addressed conflicts between their agency ADOR, led by CEO Min Hee-jin, and ADOR’s parent company HYBE. The members openly criticized how HYBE had treated them.
In particular, member Hanni claimed she was ignored by a manager from another team at HYBE. She recounted an incident where, while waiting in the hallway for hair and makeup, a team manager passed by and told someone to “ignore” her. “Even now, I don’t understand why I had to experience that. It was truly unbelievable,” she said.
Minji added that she was shocked when she heard Hanni’s story, saying, “It was unimaginable, and the manager didn’t even apologize or admit any wrongdoing. I naturally worry about being quietly ostracized when there’s no one to protect us.”