NewJeans Sparks Controversy Over Workplace Conditions, Raising Questions About Labor Standards in K-Pop 

Erin Araneta

Staff Writer

A young and popular K-pop group called NewJeans has been the center of controversy and attention after their public complaints about the workplace environment created by their parent company, Hybe. According to BBC News, in a now-deleted YouTube video uploaded by the five members of the group, the young entertainers expressed their dissatisfaction with Hybe and called for the reinstatement of their former CEO, Min Hee-jin. In an industry where singers, called idols, are micromanaged and carefully monitored to maintain a specific public persona, NewJeans’ unusual move in a widely publicized occupation thrusts the group’s future and the K-pop industry into unprecedented territory.

Coming onto the K-pop scene in 2022, the group and its five members – Danielle, Haerin, Hanni, Hyein, and Minji – gained immediate popularity with their distinct aesthetic and catchy music, reminiscent of 90s club sounds. Since their debut, NewJeans, with members 16 to 20 years old,has accumulated countless accolades as a young group, and their fame has spread globally. 

On September 11, 2024, the same day NewJeans was nominated for two MTV awards, the group posted “What NewJeans Wanted To Say”, a 27-minute-long video posted to a YouTube channel created by the five members. Dressed in somber colors in stark contrast to their usual bright aesthetic, the idols read a pre-prepared statement accusing Hybe of fostering a toxic work environment and demanded Min’s reinstatement. 

The situation dates back to April 2024 when Hybe launched an audit of Min and Ador, the independent sub label formed in 2021 that manages NewJeans. BBC News reports that Hybe accused Min of corporate espionage, alleging that Min was planning a takeover of Ador by leaking confidential information to attract investors and manage NewJeans and Ador independently.Hybe further claims that Min’s actions were retaliation after Hybe’s recent debut of girl group Illit, whose concept Min claims was stolen from NewJeans. In August, she rejected a Hybe offer to continue working as NewJeans’ producer. The NewJeans members had expressed their frustration and disappointment over the situation but continued their promotional activities.

In their YouTube video, the members discussed issues of leaked private medical information and videos going unresolved by Hybe and other idols at Hybe being told by their managers to ignore NewJeans members in the halls. At the end of the video, NewJeans set a deadline of September 25 for Min’s reinstatement; however, the group did not address any specific actions if this ultimatum was not met by Hybe.

According to The Korea Times, NewJeans’ two-week deadline has suggested that the group was preparing for potential legal action. Termination of the group’s seven-year-contract would cost the members about 300 billion South Korean won, or about $225.8 million. While the timeframe allows the group to search legal grounds for contract violations to take action, paying the hefty penalty may be the easiest solution if the group wants to work with Min independently, as their adherence to their former CEO implies. 

On the day of the deadline, according to The Korea Herald, Hybe confirmed that the company would not honor NewJeans’ request to reinstate Min. The company, however, allowed Min to continue to work as an internal director and NewJeans’ producer. While NewJeans has not commented on Hybe’s compromise, Min issued a press release, re-requesting her reinstatement as CEO.

The Korea Herald reports that the Korean National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee requested 19-year-old Hanni’s presence to answer questions about alleged workplace harassment at an upcoming inspection on October 25. Additionally, the committee passed a motion requesting the current Ador CEO, Kim Yu-joung, to appear to address the company’s inadequate response. 

Nevertheless, NewJeans’ bold actions distinguish between risk-taking at the expense of a negative public image and companies’ careful micromanagement of groups to maintain a certain image. The K-pop industry’s typical top-down control tactic is one long abandoned by American pop labels for over ten years during the heyday of boy bands and Britney Spears, according to The New York Times. 

In an industry where idols’ personas are purposefully presented to the public, it is rare to see entertainers express their concerns. With a group as young as NewJeans breaking the status quo of the K-pop industry, the members are sure to continue making a global impact, both on the stage and within the industry. 

Image courtesy of Getty Images