Parents of NewJeans confirm Hanni’s new visa, criticize media over privacy breaches

The parents of girl group NJZ, formerly known as NewJeans, announced Wednesday via a joint social media account that Vietnamese Australian member Hanni had obtained a new visa on Tuesday through “proper legal procedures.”

They also raised concerns over speculative reports published by local media outlets regarding Hanni’s residency status in South Korea, criticizing a lack of verification and fact-checking.

“There has been a flood of speculative reports about Hanni’s residency status in Korea yesterday and today, leading to the spread of false information. We would like to clarify the facts to prevent further misinformation,” the NJZ parents said. “Hanni obtained a new visa yesterday (Feb. 11) through proper legal procedures.”

On Jan. 31, the parents created a temporary Instagram account to clarify facts and express their stance on NJZ’s ongoing dispute with Ador, a music subsidiary of Hybe, claiming their position had been misrepresented or negatively cited in previous coverage. Ador is NJZ’s former agency.

The parents further argued that Ador pressured them by using Hanni’s visa status as leverage, a particularly sensitive issue for foreign residents in Korea. The agency reportedly emailed them a warning that if they refused to sign a visa extension consent form listing Ador as the affiliated company, Hanni could risk illegal residency.

Hanni’s E-6 visa, which allows foreign entertainers to work in South Korea, reportedly expired early this month. The issue has been at the center of controversy, as it would directly affect NJZ’s planned musical activities over the coming months. Without an extension, Hanni would have been unable to continue working as a K-pop singer here, raising concerns about the group’s future promotions and scheduling.

The parents also expressed regret over the excessive use of the term “illegal resident” in local media reports based on unverified information, arguing it fueled false rumors and had even triggered unnecessary public complaints.

Hanni, who holds dual Australian and Vietnamese citizenship, was reported as an illegal resident in a complaint filed via the government’s online petition service “e-People,” run by the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission, on Jan. 10. This followed the unilateral termination of NJZ’s exclusive contract with Ador in November, which had initially secured her visa since her debut in 2022.

“Over the past two days alone, nearly 70 articles have been published speculating on Hanni’s visa type and expiration date — private details with no obligation to be disclosed — resulting in a serious infringement of her rights,” the NJZ parents said.

“It is deeply regrettable that such sensitive personal information, which could only have been provided by Ador apart from the individual herself, has been indiscriminately spread through the media.”