Recently, during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting on the 12th of February, concerns were raised about potential restrictions on the domestic activities of NewJeans’ Hanni, following the group’s recent rebranding as NJZ, due to visa issues.
Rep. Park Ji-won of the Democratic Party of Korea raised the issue of NewJeans member Hanni’s visa expiration during a full session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
Now, Five major music industry organizations have spoken out regarding allegations that NewJeans’ Hanni was told to be “ignored” by an employee from another company.
On the morning of the 27th, a press conference titled “Let’s Keep a Promise: Without Record Producers, There Is No K-Pop” was held at JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul’s Seocho District. The event was organized by five key music industry groups: the Korea Management Federation, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association, the Korea Music Labels Industry Association, the Korea Record Industry Association, and the Korea Music Content Association.
During the conference, discussions centered around NewJeans’ dispute with their agency ADOR (a HYBE label), the ongoing conflict between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE, and the proposed legislation to prevent “tampering” within the K-pop industry.
Korea Music Content Association Secretary-General Choi Kwang-ho, who led the main presentation, directly addressed the controversy surrounding Hanni. He referenced the claim that a staff member from HYBE’s Belift Lab had allegedly told others to “ignore” Hanni, a claim that has fueled strong reactions from fans.
Choi stated, “No one truly knows the facts of this incident. However, we must question whether we have fairly considered both sides. Just because someone has a strong fanbase and public influence doesn’t automatically make their claims true. Have we genuinely tried to listen to all parties involved? The perspective of the unnamed manager accused in this incident also deserves to be heard.”
He further expressed concerns over extreme reactions from some fandoms, stating, “Certain fans have staged protests demanding the firing and punishment of company employees. There have also been instances of cyber harassment targeting the families of these employees. If we are discussing workplace bullying in the entertainment industry, we must also acknowledge that some company staff are facing personal attacks just for being perceived as opposing artists.”
Choi also emphasized the broader consequences of agency disputes, saying, “When an artist leaves a company, there are employees who face job insecurity and fear for their future. We must ask ourselves—who are the real underprivileged in this industry?”
The controversy continues to spark debate within the K-pop industry, with calls for a more balanced and fair approach to resolving disputes between artists, management, and fans.