NewJeans Urges HYBE and Bang Si-hyuk to Reinstate Min Hee-jin by the 25th

The girl group NewJeans has requested that HYBE and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk reinstate former CEO Min Hee-jin to her original position by the 25th.

On the 11th, NewJeans hosted a live broadcast on their YouTube channel, 'nwjns', titled 'What NewJeans Want to Say'.

NewJeans member Hyein explained that the decision to go live was driven by the difficulties and frustrations they faced seeing their staff members suffer under unfair demands and pressures, despite the recent dismissal of CEO Min Hee-jin. "I was also concerned about the future of the five of us," she said.

Hye-in admitted her anxiety about how the live broadcast would be received and her concern that the CEO might say something inappropriate. However, she clarified, "This live broadcast was prepared by the five of us because we genuinely wanted to communicate something important." She continued, "Even though Bunnies are coming forward to help, we felt that waiting and leaving things to adults was not enough. We decided it was better to tell our story directly rather than remain silent."

Hyein emphasized, "In summary, this is a message for HYBE. We met with the current management and expressed our opinions, but our desires were not clearly conveyed. It felt like communication was obstructed, so we decided to use this live broadcast to make sure our thoughts are heard."

Minji added, "I'm sure the announcement surprised many, including ADOR employees, as they were unaware. I’ve been contemplating where to begin, but my goal is to clearly express our intentions. While I can't share everything due to contractual constraints, I'll be as transparent as possible."

Minji reflected on her time with NewJeans, saying, "During our debut, we had ample time to get to know each other personally. Initially, I was cautious and anxious around the adults I worked with, but the open-mindedness I experienced from them was reassuring, and I developed a strong sense of trust."

The members of NewJeans stated, "What we want is the original ADOR, which combines management and production under Min Hee-jin’s leadership." They emphasized that their request is meant to foster harmony without conflict with HYBE.

The group criticized HYBE strongly, questioning, "What did we do wrong?" and urged, "If you truly prioritize us, allow us to rely on you, enjoy our work, and collaborate on the music we love."

They also noted their shock and embarrassment upon learning about CEO Min Hee-jin’s dismissal through an article. They felt disrespected by HYBE’s unilateral decision, stating, "You’re not showing us any respect."

Danielle specifically addressed the issue, saying, "I’d like to know how the breach of trust attributed to CEO Min Hee-jin relates to NewJeans, given that she was unable to assist in promoting our comeback just a week before it. Please stop targeting CEO Min Hee-jin. Honestly, I feel very sorry for her, and it seems HYBE is lacking humanity. What can we learn from such a company?"

Danielle highlighted the importance of CEO Min Hee-jin, saying, "The unique tone and color of our work were created by her, making her an irreplaceable part of our team."

Hyein concluded, "HYBE's approach is not correct. Please reinstate CEO Min Hee-jin to her original role, rather than bringing in outsiders. We will continue to do our best in our roles."