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Writer's pictureDisha Paul

NewJeans’ Hanni Declares “I Will Testify Alone” Against ADOR’s Bullying – Bold Move or Risky Step?


Hanni Stands Alone in Testifying Against ADOR's Bullying
Hanni Stands Alone in Testifying Against ADOR's Bullying.

NewJeans leader Hanni has made a bold move by choosing to testify against the alleged bullying by HYBE. She took to social media to reveal to her fans, "I believe going forward is the right thing to do, no matter how much I think about it".


It all started with their mother and creator, Min Hee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, who was removed from her position for plotting against HYBE and forming ADOR as a separate legal entity.


On September 11, NewJeans' five members raised concerns about their future in ADOR after being bullied by other managers. They revealed that when Hanni greeted the members of another band at their record label offices, their manager had instructed them to "ignore her".




But that was not the end. When the issue was addressed to the new CEO of ADOR, Kim Joo Young, the matter didn't get resolved. Instead, they were told to bring conclusive evidence to prove their claims.


The other band is speculated to be HYBE's BE:LIFT LAB New Girl Group, ILLIT, who made headlines with their debut for having similar concepts to NewJeans.



Fans noticed a clip of ILLIT members greeting Hanni on the day of the incident, but the video seems to have been removed from all platforms. Meanwhile, ILLIT’s management has refuted the claims made by NewJeans, saying "they have never interacted".


This incident has allegedly sparked a fan war between NewJeans and ILLIT fans. With ILLIT’s comeback around the corner, it remains to be seen whether they will face controversy this time or have a peaceful return.



Coming back to NewJeans' Hanni, she has revealed that she is testifying in court alone for the sake of NewJeans' existence, as well as for the members and fans. Bunnies (NewJeans' official fandom) have also lodged complaints against ADOR for mistreatment.





ADOR has mismanaged the group's future activities by cancelling or delaying them. Hanni also added that some HYBE officials will be charged with violating the Personal Information Protection Act.


On October 25, 2024, South Korea's Environment and Labor Committee summoned both Hanni and Kim Joo Young to testify in an audit on workplace harassment.


Hanni and Kim Joo-Young summoned to court
Left: Hanni and Right: Kim Joo-Young, CEO of ADOR

In her statement, Hanni thanked Bunnies for their support and reassured them that she made this decision alone without informing her manager or the company. It has been difficult for her, but she is determined to do it solely for NewJeans' existence.


Now, the whole K-pop industry is looking forward to Hanni's presence at the hearing and awaits a fair judgment from the officials.


Meanwhile, we support NewJeans members and wish them strength in revealing the whole truth. What do you think about this incident? Did Hanni make the right decision or not? Let us know in the comments below!




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