Legal Complaint Filed Against HYBE and Dispatch Journalists

The dedicated fandom of NewJeans, known as Bunnies, has taken a bold step by initiating legal action against HYBE, Source Music, and two journalists from the entertainment media outlet Dispatch. The move comes in response to alleged violations of the Personal Information Protection Act and the Information and Communications Network Act due to leaked information and defamatory articles that have allegedly damaged the reputation of NewJeans.

The legal team representing Team Bunnies, the law firm Opes, confirmed on September 2nd that a formal complaint has been filed with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul. The complaint targets HYBE, Source Music, and the Dispatch journalists, accusing them of illegally collecting and leaking personal information related to the CEO and artists of ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE. This information, according to the complaint, was then used to publish articles that spread malicious comments about NewJeans, leading to severe damage to the group’s reputation.

“HYBE, as the parent company of ADOR, cannot illegally collect or leak personal information about the CEO and artists of its subsidiary, nor can Source Music, another HYBE subsidiary. The illegally collected and leaked personal information was used to write articles that have spread malicious comments about NewJeans. This has severely damaged the group’s reputation, and the harm is ongoing,” stated Opes.

The law firm further emphasized that the false information and criticism stemming from these illegal actions have caused significant harm to the young members of NewJeans. The fandom’s decision to file the complaint is driven by a desire to correct these wrongs through legal means.

Background: Leaked KakaoTalk Conversations and Defamation Allegations

The controversy began when Dispatch and other media outlets reported portions of a leaked KakaoTalk conversation between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, an ADOR executive, and a shaman. These reports also included allegations that Min Hee-jin engaged in poaching trainees during the time when NewJeans members were still under Source Music.

Lee Hyun-gon, a lawyer from Saeol Law Firm, commented on the situation, highlighting the seriousness of the leak:

“If the leaked KakaoTalk conversations were provided by HYBE’s internal teams, this constitutes a serious breach of personal information. Writing articles based on such leaks, knowing their illegal nature, could also be considered a violation of the law.”

An anonymous legal expert further added:

“If the Dispatch journalist used videos and information that could only have been obtained by an insider and reported them without the consent of those involved, it could be considered defamation and a violation of personal rights. The company responsible for the leak could face charges under the Personal Information Protection Act.”

Future Legal Actions and the Bunnies’ Commitment

A representative from Team Bunnies revealed that the fandom plans to continue filing third-party complaints against malicious posts related to NewJeans. They have already categorized and collected thousands of such posts and have hired two additional lawyers to proceed with legal action in the order of the most likely prosecutable cases.

The representative emphasized that their goal is to protect NewJeans at all costs and to ensure that the fandom becomes a significant factor that HYBE must consider. They hinted at further actions beyond the legal complaints, though specifics remain undisclosed.

“Our objective is to ensure that NewJeans is protected from any harm, and we will continue to pursue all necessary legal avenues to achieve this. We want HYBE to understand that the fandom is a force to be reckoned with,” stated the representative from Team Bunnies.

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