New allegations have surfaced in the ongoing dispute between NewJeans and their label, HYBE, after Hanni publicly revealed being a victim of alleged workplace mistreatment. The latest claims come from NewJeans members’ mothers, who assert that CCTV footage showing Hanni being “ignored” by the K-pop group ILLIT has been deleted.
The Allegation: Deleted CCTV Footage
According to a Korean media outlet’s report on October 9, the mother of a NewJeans member has alleged that a security guard confirmed the deletion of key CCTV footage. This footage reportedly captured two specific moments—one where ILLIT greeted Hanni upon entering the premises and another where they left without acknowledging her. The security guard allegedly informed Hanni that the second clip, which showed ILLIT’s failure to greet her, was deemed “unnecessary” and subsequently deleted.
The mothers claim that ADOR’s current CEO, Kim Joo Young, was informed about the footage by Hanni herself. Kim allegedly promised to investigate the matter further, especially since a new witness had come forward to testify. One of the mothers expressed her frustration, stating, “BELIFT LAB is only referring to the footage of ILLIT bowing when entering, but they’re ignoring the fact that the footage where ILLIT left without greeting was deleted.”
Parents Push for Action
NewJeans members’ parents have also revealed that Kim Joo Young promised to notify HYBE about improving artists’ greeting etiquette and manners, ensuring such incidents don’t occur again. However, the parents maintain that their concerns go beyond “greeting culture,” accusing HYBE of treating NewJeans unfairly compared to other artists. “We did not raise an issue about greetings; we raised an issue about HYBE’s unfair treatment of New Jeans,” one mother emphasized.
BELIFT LAB’s Response
In response to the parents’ claims, BELIFT LAB issued a statement denying the allegations. The agency stated that ILLIT’s manager never instructed the group members to “ignore” Hanni. Furthermore, they mentioned that they had consulted with Min Hee Jin’s team on August 14 about the CCTV footage. According to BELIFT LAB, Min Hee Jin had suggested that there might be additional footage available. However, NewJeans’ mothers have criticized the agency’s statement as misleading, accusing them of distorting the facts and misrepresenting the involvement of Min Hee Jin.
The situation has drawn significant public attention, especially as fans and observers try to piece together the full details of the incident. As of now, there has been no further comment from HYBE, ADOR, or NewJeans on the matter.
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