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Hanni bravely speaks up: NewJeans members expose HYBE’s predicament
With the rapid rise of NewJeans, this promising girl group unfortunately became embroiled in a conflict between the management of its parent company HYBE and ADOR. Recently, Hanni, a member of NewJeans, exposed to the public the workplace bullying she and other members have experienced as a reference person at the South Korean National Assembly’s Environmental Labor Committee.
Hanni’s brave voice not only showcases her determination and courage to the outside world, but also reveals the pressure and injustice that NewJeans is facing behind the scenes.
The experience of being ignored: indifference and exclusion within the company
Hanni mentioned her experience of being ignored by other girl group members and managers in the company during her speech in Congress. She said she had greeted three girl group members and their female managers in the company hallway, but did not receive a response. What’s even more heartbreaking is that the manager deliberately instructed other members behind her to ‘pretend not to see, ignore her’.
Hanni admitted that this is not the first time she has encountered such a situation. She feels helpless and confused, and finds it difficult to understand why she has to endure such treatment while working in the same company. She pointed out that this indifference and exclusion not only made her feel isolated, but also exposed the problems within the company. Hanni chose to publicly share these experiences in Congress in the hope of raising awareness of workplace bullying through her own voice and avoiding similar situations from happening to other artists and trainees.
Internal hostility: HYBE’s rejection of NewJeans
Hanni further revealed that there is a cold and even clear hostility towards NewJeans within HYBE. She mentioned that she politely greets the company’s top management every time she meets them, but has never received a response. Recently, she saw posts on the anonymous social media platform Blind where company employees insulted NewJeans, and even heard recordings of the company’s public relations department head belittling their debut performance in Japan. These have convinced her that the company’s rejection and contempt for NewJeans is a fact.
Faced with these unfair treatments, Hanni firmly stated that although NewJeans members are young, they should not bear such workplace pressure and cold treatment. She criticized the company for not fulfilling its responsibility to protect artists and not taking effective measures to solve the problem.
ADOR’s new representative Jin Zhouyong’s response and Hanni’s questioning
In the parliament, ADOR’s new representative, Kim Joo yong, also responded to this matter. Jin Yongzhou stated that she has made every effort to investigate the matter and confirmed the footage of Hanni greeting through surveillance video. However, due to the expiration of the surveillance video, the complete recording cannot be obtained. She also pointed out that although verification was conducted with relevant managers and members, their statements were inconsistent.
Hanni bluntly stated, “I’m sorry, I don’t think you did your best.” She believed that the company was just perfunctory on the grounds of “no evidence,” avoiding the root of the problem and failing to handle conflicts and misunderstandings seriously. She strongly opposes this light hearted approach and emphasizes that the company should take responsibility to ensure that artists are not treated unfairly.
Hanni’s Courage and Responsibility
Hanni, who is only 20 years old, although Korean is not her native language, expressed her and her team’s position in her speech with a firm tone and clear organization. She not only pointed out the problems of the company’s management, but also expressed her protection and support for NewJeans in a gentle yet powerful way. The courage to face power without fear and speak up for the rights of the team has moved many people.
Hanni’s speech not only drew attention from netizens to the situation of NewJeans, but also made more people realize that the pressure and difficulties faced by young artists in the entertainment industry far exceed what the outside world imagines. Many fans and netizens have expressed that HYBE should create a healthier working environment for its artists, handle management disputes properly, and avoid innocent involvement of young artists such as NewJeans.
Hanni’s brave voice undoubtedly made the outside world see the challenges and difficulties faced by NewJeans behind the stage. As young girl groups, they not only have to face the highly competitive entertainment industry, but also endure pressure and coldness from within the company. Hanni stepped forward to speak up for the team, demonstrating extraordinary courage and responsibility. I hope that through her efforts, she can raise more people’s awareness of workplace bullying, promote the company to create a more fair and respectful working environment for artists, and enable NewJeans and other young artists to shine under better conditions.