South Korean pop star Hanni, from the band NewJeans, has taken a bold step by announcing that she will testify to the country’s National Assembly in a hearing about bullying in the music industry. This decision comes after Hanni and her bandmates raised concerns about their treatment by their record label, Ador, during a YouTube livestream.
The group, known for their international hits like SuperShy and OMG, accused their mentor and record label chief executive, Min Hee-Jin, of planning a hostile takeover that would make NewJeans and Ador independent of their parent label, Hybe. Despite Min’s denial of the allegations, the band demanded her reinstatement and made claims of workplace harassment.
Hanni specifically mentioned an incident where the manager of another band instructed their members to ignore her at the record label offices. Despite reporting the incident to Ador’s new chief executive, Kim Joo-Young, Hanni felt that her concerns were brushed off.
The situation escalated into a conflict between fans of NewJeans and another girl group, Illit, with accusations and denials flying back and forth. The Environment and Labour Committee has now summoned Hanni and Kim Joo-Young to testify in an audit on workplace harassment.
In a statement to fans, Hanni expressed her determination to go to the National Assembly alone, without informing her managers or the company. She thanked her supporters and reassured them that she is doing this for herself, her bandmates, and their fans.
The news of Hanni’s decision to testify at the National Assembly has sparked interest and concern among fans and industry observers, as it sheds light on the issue of workplace harassment in the music industry.
