'Respect each other as human beings’: Hanni testifies at National Assembly audit

NewJeans' Hanni enters the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, to appear as a witness for the Environment and Labor Committee's audit, Tuesday. (Newsis)

NewJeans member Hanni appeared as a reference witness at a National Assembly audit of the Environment and Labor Committee on Tuesday, where she expressed her concerns about workplace bullying.

"I hope that no one -- whether seniors, juniors, peer artists or even trainees -- has to experience what I went through,” Hanni said during the audit session. “If we respect each other as human beings, there would be no workplace bullying or ostracism.”

The Vietnamese Australian singer was called as a reference witness following her group’s guerrilla YouTube live broadcast on Sept. 11. During the broadcast, she revealed that a manager from a K-pop group under another Hybe subsidiary had instructed the group to "ignore her" when they encountered her at Hybe’s headquarters in Seoul, on May 28. NewJeans is signed under the music label Ador, which is also a Hybe subsidiary.

Ador CEO Kim Ju-young answers to a lawmaker's question during a National Assembly audit in Seoul, Tuesday. (Newsis)

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. I came forward today because I knew that if I didn’t, this issue would quietly pass by and be buried again. This is something that could happen to anyone," Hanni said.

CCTV footage of the incident is considered critical evidence in addressing the truth behind the alleged "ignore her" comment. However, Hybe provided only an eight-second clip showing the girl group greeting Hanni. The company claimed the subsequent footage had been deleted due to data protection regulations and could not be restored.

Kim Ju-young, Ador CEO and chief human resources officer at Hybe, who also appeared as a witness at the audit. Kim said she had taken all possible measures to calrify the issue, including inquiring about the possibility of recovering the footage after its retention period had expired.

Hanni expressed frustration, suggesting that parts of the footage had been intentionally deleted. “I don’t believe she (Kim) has done her best. She said she would protect the artists, but I feel she didn’t take proper action. I want this matter resolved now because if we just let it go, this issue will be brushed aside,” Hanni said.

Hanni sheds tears as she speaks during a National Assembly audit in Seoul, Tuesday. (Newsis)

The singer also voiced disappointment over Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s evasive response to the situation, which includes the company’s ongoing conflict with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. Hanni suggested the discord contributed to the atmosphere of ostracism.

“The person truly responsible isn’t showing up, and it’s frustrating to see him avoid situations like this,” Hanni added, hinting that Bang was the individual in question.

She also acknowledged that the internal conflict between the chairman and the former Ador CEO had created divisions within the company, which may have fueled the ostracism she experienced.

“Many people ask why I have to go through this in Korea as a foreign member of a K-pop group,” Hanni said. “But I don’t want anyone to feel bad for me. I have people who support me here, and Korea has allowed me to do what I love as a singer. If I need to come to another audit, I will improve my Korean and speak even better then.”

By Kim Jae-heun(jaaykim@heraldcorp.com)