NewJeans was exposed to 'subtle bullying' from HYBE, members claim in livestream

Members of girl group NewJeans claim that HYBE has been mistreating them “in uncomfortable and scary ways that make no sense” and that Min Hee-jin was the only protection against such “subtle bullying."

Members of girl group NewJeans hold a YouTube livestream on Sept. 11. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Members of girl group NewJeans claim that HYBE has been mistreating them “in uncomfortable and scary ways that make no sense” and that Min Hee-jin was the only protection against such “subtle bullying,” according to a YouTube livestream held Wednesday evening by the five members of the girl group.

“There have been so many incidents where we had no choice but to doubt whether HYBE truly cares about NewJeans,” Minji said. “We have definite proof but we can’t share it today because we have no idea how everything might snowball in the future. But we sincerely wish that everyone understands why we resorted to this method of communication.”

The livestream began at around 7 p.m. and lasted for 30 minutes, during which the five members revealed their thoughts on the ongoing legal conflict between HYBE and ADOR’s former CEO Min Hee-jin, as well as their testimonies of how HYBE has been mistreating them over the years.

The members did not give prior notice about the livestream to reporters, fans or its agency ADOR, according to Hyein. The live video was streamed on a YouTube channel named nwjns, which was shut down straight after.

“We did worry about how people would react to this livestream, but we were so much more worried about the future of the five of us,” Hyein said, explaining why the quintet decided to hold the session.

Members of girl group NewJeans hold a YouTube livestream on Sept. 11. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

“We know that people would suspect that she [former CEO Min Hee-jin] made us do this. But we want to be very clear that this is a livestream that we planned because there are things that we really have to say. We were helped by directors that we trusted on the things that we couldn’t prepare ourselves, like the equipment or the location.”

The YouTube livestream came two weeks after the current board members of ADOR decided to remove Min as the CEO and instead appointed Kim Ju-young as the new CEO. Min argued that the decision was made against her choice but did not reveal in detail whether she would take legal measures regarding the decision.

The members publicly thanked Min during their acceptance speech of the awards given by The Fact Music Awards on Sunday, but Wednesday’s announcement was the first official move made by the five members ever since the HYBE-Min brawl began in April.

NewJeans members claimed that they had been mistreated by HYBE in various ways, but that the current executives at ADOR did not “seem sincere” in protecting them against such practices.

“Just a while ago, I had an incident at the fourth floor of the HYBE building where we get our hair and makeup done,” Hanni said. “I was waiting in the hallway and an artist and their manager passed me by. I was going to say hello to them but the manager told them to ‘ignore her’ right in front of me, where I could see and hear everything. I really can’t understand why I had to go through such a thing.”

Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR at left, and incoming CEO Kim Ju-young [ADOR]

“I told this to the new CEO, but she just told me that it was too late and I had no proof and tried to gloss over the situation,” she continued. “I felt that she had no intention of protecting us. I didn’t feel that she was saying so for my sake. I was being frank with her but she made me feel like I was a liar in an instant. Min Hee-jin fought for us, but the new executives just keep telling us that it can’t be fixed.”

The members also experienced other incidents “that couldn’t be understood by common sense,” according to Minji.

“We’re trying to be as frank as we can, even though we can’t reveal everything due to our contract [with the agency],” she said. “What scares us the most is that it’s not just our future that’s being threatened, but also the work that we’ve made so far. There are so many people who have given everything they have to make our work, which makes it difficult for us to understand why such things are happening.”

Minji addressed the conflict between NewJeans’ music video director Shin Woo-seok and the current executives at ADOR, which began on Sept. 2 when Shin announced that he had removed all content related to NewJeans from his social media and YouTube channel following a demand from ADOR. The two parties went back and forth during the past week and Shin warned on Tuesday that he will take legal action against ADOR.

“The new CEO [Kim] Ju-young says that she has our best interests at heart and that she respects the members [of NewJeans], but everything that has been taking place says otherwise,” Hyein said. “Even a week before our comeback, HYBE was busy publishing articles about Min’s breach of trust rather than helping us with our promotions. I truly want to ask, how are you helping NewJeans by badmouthing NewJeans?”

HYBE headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Aug. 18 with two trucks carrying LED screens demanding member Suga of boy band BTS quit the band following his DUI incident [NEWS1]

The members repeatedly demanded HYBE reinstate Min as the CEO of ADOR and stop “bullying” Min.

“We really wish that [HYBE] would stop bullying Min Hee-jin as a human being,” Danielle said. “We feel so bad for her and HYBE just seems like an inhumane company. What are we supposed to learn from such a company?”

"We hope that HYBE makes the wise choice to reinstate Min Hee-jin as the CEO of ADOR by Sept. 25," member Minji said. "The ADOR that we want is an ADOR where the music production and company management are done by Min Hee-jin as the CEO. We make this request as the way to cohabitate peacefully with HYBE."

Neither HYBE nor ADOR made a statement following the livestream. The members did not announce the meaning behind the Sept. 25 deadline or the actions that will follow after the date, but said they “will not surrender to the ways [of ADOR’s executives or HYBE]."

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]