On February 19, parents of the NJZ (New Jeans) group made serious allegations against Bang Si Hyuk, Chairman of HYBE, claiming he tried to block the group’s performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong. 

In a statement shared via social media, the parents expressed their frustration over the actions of HYBE and several Korean entertainment associations.

The parents criticized the timing and content of a recent public statement by five prominent entertainment organizations: the Korean Entertainment Management Association, the Korean Entertainment Producers Association, the Korean Music Label Industry Association, the Korean Record Industry Association, and the Korean Music Content Association. 

These associations issued a letter urging for specific legislation regarding 'tampering' in the K-pop industry, particularly focusing on the situation involving NJZ and their agency, ADOR.

The parents stressed that the legal proceedings related to the case were still in the early stages, and the associations’ statement undermined the fairness of the legal process. 

They also alleged that Bang Si Hyuk had directly intervened by contacting American stakeholders to prevent NJZ's performance, further accusing HYBE of treating the group’s members merely as commercial assets.

"Despite our efforts to resolve this internally, HYBE has continued to treat the NJZ members like tools for profit, showing no interest in addressing our concerns," the parents stated, adding that no response was received following a formal complaint sent to HYBE's chairman in April 2024.

The group’s parents also revealed that NJZ was determined to go ahead with their scheduled performance at ComplexCon Hong Kong, emphasizing that this would mark their first stage performance without the interference of HYBE and ADOR. They called on fans to support the group as they prepared to showcase a new identity under their new name, NJZ.

The statement also criticized the entertainment associations for attempting to manipulate public opinion and protect the interests of HYBE and ADOR at the expense of the group’s well-being.

"These actions are not only harmful to the members of NJZ but to the entire K-pop industry. It is essential to recognize that these events represent a conflict between a specific agency and its artists, not a systemic issue within the industry," the statement concluded.

NJZ recently announced the termination of their contract with ADOR, effectively ending their association with HYBE and marking a significant change for the group. The ComplexCon performance is expected to be their first public appearance under their new name.

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