NewJeans’ member Hanni and ADOR CEO Kim Joo Young were summoned to the National Assembly for a state audit.
On October 15, Kim Joo Young and Hanni attended the Environment and Labor Committee’s state audit as a witness and reference person, respectively, to address allegations of workplace bullying surrounding NewJeans.
Hanni’s recent appearance at the Environment and Labor Committee’s state audit was sparked by her candid comments during a YouTube live broadcast with NewJeans on September 11.
She alleged a disturbing encounter where she greeted another artist, only to be told by the manager to be ignored. This incident led to over 100 petitions for investigation by the Ministry of Employment and Labor to be submitted to the Seoul Western District Office.
Consequently, the Environment and Labor Committee designated Hanni as a reference person after a general meeting.
NewJeans’ Hanni Speaks Out on Bullying Incident
The 20-year-old Vietnamese-Australian NewJeans member testified before the National Assembly without an interpreter, despite her limited Korean proficiency. She clearly shared her experiences and thoughts on workplace bullying, detailing the incident previously revealed in a live broadcast, in response to Chairman Ahn Ho Young’s inquiry.
Hanni revealed she sensed a negative atmosphere within the company, which was difficult to describe and share. She initially thought it was just her personal feelings, but recent events confirmed her suspicions. These events included company employees criticizing NewJeans on the Blind app and a PR team leader downplaying their Japan debut success through reverse viral marketing.
She also brought up Bang Si Hyuk not greeting NewJeans members again and said it was impolite to not receive greetings.
In addition, “I reported the incident to CEO Kim and requested action, but was told, ‘There is nothing we can do without supporting evidence.'”
She continued, “After checking the CCTV, I found an 8-second clip of me greeting upfront, but the scene 5-10 minutes later, where I heard the ‘ignore him/her’ comment, didn’t exist.”
“I reviewed the footage with two people: the security officer and head of security, and asked why the latter part was missing. However, their reasons kept changing. They admitted to deleting the video, saying it was a mistake.”
Kim Joo Young Address Bullying Claims
CEO Kim Joo Young, appearing as a witness, outlined the actions he took following Hanni’s request for help with the incident.
“When I first heard about the incident on June 13, I requested CCTV footage as an internal director with the intention of protecting the artist. The manager in question is actually the CEO of another label.
We reached out to the label and inquired whether the artist and manager were aware of the incident. Unfortunately, the CCTV footage retention period had expired, and we explored possible restoration options.
Regrettably, our internal investigation reveals conflicting claims. I believe Hanni’s account and stance, and I am frustrated and searching for supporting evidence. Unfortunately, we have not secured the CCTV footage.”
“I believe I took all possible measures as an ADOR internal director at the time. However, seeing Hanni’s feelings and the situation that has unfolded, I reflect on whether there was something more I could have done better.”
Hanni responded, “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you did your best. There were more things you could have done, and initially, you promised to continue protecting us. To do that, you need to fight for us, but you didn’t show any willingness to fight or take any action.”
She continued firmly, “Before asking me to move forward and promising to do your best in the future, I want you to resolve this issue quickly.”
In other news, Kim Joo Young replaced Min Hee Jin as ADOR CEO in August. Despite NewJeans’ ultimatum to reinstate CEO Min, ADOR shareholders rejected the proposal to reinstate her as CEO.