K-pop star Hanni of New Jeans delivered a heartfelt testimony to South Korean lawmakers as part of their inquiry on workplace harassment, shedding light on her personal experiences of mistreatment within the music industry. The 20-year-old singer painted a vivid picture of the toxic atmosphere cultivated by her entertainment agency, Hybe, which she alleged had consciously undermined her band.
The singer, who was born to Vietnamese and Australian parents, spoke before the Labour Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly on October 15, 2024. During her testimony, Hanni expressed her frustration, stating, "I came to the realization this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced the company hated us." This emotional statement reflected her deep sense of betrayal and disappointment over the lack of support from her own agency.
The spotlight on Hanni’s testimony came after her group, New Jeans, vocalized their concerns following the controversial dismissal of their mentor, Min Hee-Jin, who played a pivotal role in their rise to fame. Min, who co-founded Ador, Hybe’s subsidiary, was removed from her position amid rumors of plans to depart from Hybe along with the group. This upheaval prompted the band to take the unprecedented step of publishing their grievances on social media.
Hanni recounted specific incidents where disrespect reigned at Hybe, describing how, during one event, she tried to greet members of another band at the company’s offices but was met with hostility. A manager is said to have instructed the band to "ignore her," which left her feeling marginalized and demoralized.
Not one to back down, Hanni reported this incident only to be dismissed by her superiors. "I said hello to all of them, and then they came back about five or ten minutes later. On her way out, [the manager] made eye contact with me, turned to the rest of the group and said, ‘Ignore her like you didn’t see her.’ I don’t understand why she would say something like this in the work environment," she expressed.
Throughout her testimony, Hanni highlighted several similarly disheartening episodes where high-ranking officials at Hybe acted indifferently to her greetings and presence. She noted, "Since my debut [in New Jeans], we ran Into people with high positions many times, but they never greeted me when I greeted them. I understood from living in Korea the importance of being polite to older people, which is part of the culture—but it’s just disrespectful as human beings to not greet us, regardless of our professional status."
Compounding her frustrations, Hanni revealed insights about her coworkers' negative discussions of New Jeans on Blind, an internal communication platform akin to Slack or Teams. She alleged, "I had seen employees speaking ill about us, which made it clear there was something fundamentally wrong within the company culture." Hanni also mentioned incidents where Hybe’s public relations team requested journalists to downplay the group’s accomplishments, solidifying her belief of being sidelined.
Kim Joo-young, who currently leads Ador, also testified during this session. Acknowledging Hanni’s experiences of being shunned and mistreated, she stated, "I believe I did everything I could, but seeing Hanni felt this way, I wonder if there was more I could have done." Kim remarked on the difficulties tracking the incident due to expired CCTV evidence.
The saga surrounding New Jeans has garnered extensive media attention, captivating fans and citizens alike. With catchy hits such as "Super Shy" and "OMG," the group rose to become the eighth best-selling act globally last year and received accolades including nominations for Best Group at the MTV Awards of 2023.
Despite the backstage drama and turmoil, New Jeans have continued to thrive, having committed to a seven-year contract with their agency, running through 2029. Financially, terminating their contract early would put the members at risk of shouldering penalty fees estimated at around 300 billion South Korean Won, which is roughly £170 million.
Wrapping up the session filled with emotion and tearfulness, Hanni expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her fans and the country but remained vocal about the organizational issues. "A lot of people have been worried about us, and some fans apologized for making us go through this. But I’m grateful to Korea for allowing me to do what I love. The ones who should be apologizing are avoiding responsibility, and this frustrates me," she concluded.
The story underlines the need for reform within the K-pop industry, where many artists are silenced under the weight of powerful entertainment agencies. Hanni’s testimony resonates as part of broader movements against workplace harassment and the importance of human dignity, emphasizing the damage caused not just to individuals but to the publicly adored facades these stars construct.
