NewJeans members speak out amidst internal conflict at HYBE.
Amid an ongoing internal conflict surrounding NewJeans that has lasted for five months, the members have spoken publicly for the first time. This marks the first time NewJeans has addressed the situation directly since the tensions began between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin.
On September 2 KST, Minji shared her thoughts on the fan communication platform Phoning, saying, “It’s been almost a week since I wanted to share with you all the things that have been happening, but I couldn’t. I wanted to tell the many Bunnies who came to check on us and comfort us that we’re okay and offer comfort in return, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it this time. I feel so sorry that we’re going through unnecessary hardships when we could be spending our time sharing only good stories. I feel so frustrated that I can’t resolve anything.”
She added, “I don’t know how long these anxious days will last, and I know it might be selfish to say this, but I really hope that our Bunnies and we won’t have to go through tough times anymore.”
Danielle also opened up, saying, “Honestly, since CEO Min Hee Jin was dismissed, it has been very tough, and I’ve had a lot on my mind. I was in a bit of a state of shock for a while and felt very anxious.”
Hanni expressed her feelings indirectly through a song she composed. She shared, “I started creating this song back in April or May of this year. At the time, the Bunnies, the members, the CEO, and I were all struggling, and I wanted to comfort everyone and heal their wounds. A few weeks ago, I sent it to the CEO from afar as a way of offering comfort,” and then performed the song.
The conflict between HYBE and former CEO Min began in April. HYBE accused Min of attempting to take over the management rights of ADOR and filed a lawsuit against her for breach of duty. Min Hee Jin denied these allegations as “groundless.” Subsequently, allegations surfaced that Min had attempted to cover up a sexual harassment incident within the company, leading to an outcry from a former employee who had resigned and voiced their frustration.
Following this, ADOR removed Min from her position and appointed Kim Ju Young as the new CEO. ADOR stated that Min would retain her role as an internal director and continue producing for NewJeans. However, Min’s side claimed that the producing contract only lasts for two months and six days and that the announcement was made without any consultation, making it a unilateral decision.
On the same day, September 2nd, another controversy arose when Shin Woo Seok, the director behind NewJeans’ hit music videos such as ‘Ditto,’ ‘OMG,’ and ‘ETA,’ announced that collaboration with ADOR was no longer possible. Shin’s team claimed that the new management at ADOR requested the deletion of all NewJeans-related videos. However, ADOR clarified that they only requested the removal of unauthorized videos to protect the artist’s rights.
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