A manager for NewJeans, identified as A, has accused ADOR and CEO Min Hee Jin of workplace harassment, disputing allegations of misconduct levied against them by the company. In a recent interview with The Daily Sports, A claimed that ADOR falsely accused them of engaging in unethical behavior and used coercive tactics during an internal inquiry.
Manager A’s Account of the Incident
A recounted an incident on December 3, after returning from NewJeans’ schedule in Japan. They were called to ADOR’s office under the pretense of discussing a media inquiry. “I was called into the office to discuss a journalist’s query. After a brief discussion, they suddenly accused me of contacting advertisers behind the company’s back,” A said.
On the same day, A filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, accusing ADOR and its CEO of workplace bullying. According to A, they were handed a suspension notice, ordered to immediately return their work laptop, and subjected to what they described as illegal confinement for nearly three hours until the laptop was retrieved.
In their statement, A alleged that ADOR demanded the submission of their personal smartphone without legal grounds. Despite their compliance in backing up company data and formatting their personal laptop, the company initiated disciplinary actions, citing the formatting as a reason for suspicion.
ADOR’s Response to the Allegations
ADOR responded, claiming that A had encouraged direct contract negotiations between NewJeans members and advertisers, bypassing the company. “A contacted advertisers directly to propose contracts without involving the company. This is a serious breach of trust and a violation of the artists’ exclusive contracts,” ADOR stated.
The company insisted they provided A with ample opportunities to explain their actions but claimed A refused to cooperate and offered false testimony. They further alleged that A delayed returning the laptop and submitted it in a state that rendered data irretrievable.
“A handed in the laptop hours later, having formatted it to the point that data recovery was impossible. This obstructed our investigation into the matter,” ADOR said, adding that they plan to take necessary legal action following a thorough investigation.
Manager A’s Defense
A refuted ADOR’s accusations, arguing that their actions were based on requests from NewJeans members, who had expressed their desire to terminate their contracts. “The members asked me to communicate their intentions to advertisers since they couldn’t contact them directly. I clearly stated that I was relaying the members’ wishes, not my own,” A explained.
“There was no misconduct on my part.” A also detailed what they described as threatening behavior by ADOR staff. “After I explained that I didn’t have the laptop with me, security staff lied, claiming CCTV footage showed me entering the office with it. They then threatened to call my parents to confirm whether the laptop was at home and even offered to accompany me to retrieve it,” A alleged.
They also claimed that CEO Min Hee Jin later demanded the submission of their personal smartphone, a request they refused. “I told them it was my personal phone and refused. They were clearly overstepping,” A said.
Escalation of the Dispute
A stated that when they expressed their intention to resign in response to the suspension, ADOR dismissed the idea, insisting they undergo an investigation into the alleged misconduct.
“They told me that even if I resigned, the resignation would only take effect after 30 days, during which I was required to cooperate with their inquiry,” A explained.
A further alleged that ADOR confiscated laptops from other managers as part of the ongoing investigation. “I later heard that ADOR took laptops from junior managers, leaving them in tears. That was the final straw for me, which led me to file the complaint.”
A’s Closing Remarks
A emphasized their dedication to their role despite growing tensions between the company and NewJeans members. “Even amidst these conflicts, I stayed focused on my job, ensuring schedules were managed smoothly and staff morale remained high,” they said.
“It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to be accused of misconduct after all the effort I put in.” The case has drawn significant attention, with labor rights advocates closely monitoring the outcome.
Both ADOR and Manager A have signaled their intent to pursue the matter through legal channels.
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