- By Srishti Pandey
- Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
NewJeans, the rising Kpop girl group, has openly voiced their frustration following the sudden removal of Min Hee Jin as CEO of ADOR, the label responsible for managing them. The members recently went live on a new YouTube channel to express their concerns about their future under the new management and their treatment by a HYBE manager.
During the livestream, member Hanni shared an alarming incident involving a HYBE manager. She recounted a moment when a group and their manager passed by in the makeup and dressing area of the HYBE building. Hanni greeted them, only to hear the manager instruct his group to "ignore her." This behaviour shocked the group, especially the eldest member, Minji, who expressed her disbelief. "I couldn’t believe a manager told their member to ignore Hanni right in front of her," she said. Minji also added that the manager never apologized or admitted to any wrongdoing.
NewJeans' Hanni says she felt labeled a liar when ADOR's current CEO dismissed her concerns.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 11, 2024
“When I saw that she was trying to move on from that matter I realized that the person who protected us is gone. I realized that we have no higher ups that care about us anymore. I told… pic.twitter.com/a0dzNDc9Ym
The group revealed that after the incident, they reported it to ADOR’s new CEO, Kim Joo Young, but received a dismissive response. Minji explained that the CEO allegedly said, “There is no proof, so just get over it,” which made the members realize how much they missed Min Hee Jin’s protective leadership.
NewJeans’ new YouTube channel has been deleted. pic.twitter.com/vwtLzCgAwG
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) September 11, 2024
"Min Hee Jin always fought for us," Minji stated, expressing how the new management seems indifferent to their well-being. The members passionately spoke about the impact Min Hee Jin had on their careers, describing her as an essential part of their identity. Minji said, "What we want is the original ADOR where CEO Min Hee Jin’s management and producing are integrated." Haerin added, “We didn’t even know about her removal until we saw an article on the day it happened. It was so sudden and difficult for us.”
NewJeans during their livestream:
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) September 11, 2024
— ““Min Heejin is not only the person who produces our music but someone who makes NewJeans who we are (…) she is integral to NewJeans’ identity and we all feel that she is irreplaceable”. pic.twitter.com/qY52Ej9FWq
Danielle echoed these concerns, saying, “We just want to make our dreams come true. Did we do something wrong?” She explained that since Min Hee Jin’s dismissal, she has been scared about the future, fearing the loss of more staff.
As tensions between the group and the company escalate, NewJeans issued a clear request to HYBE. They asked for the reinstatement of Min Hee Jin as ADOR's CEO by September 25, stating, “If our message has been conveyed properly, we hope Bang PD and HYBE restore ADOR to its original state by the 25th.”
NewJeans' Danielle speaking out during the groups' livestream:
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 11, 2024
“Did we do something wrong? Our CEO got moved down, we aren’t able to work with our director, I’m so scared to see what might happen to our staff. If you really care about us, don’t just say you will protect us, let… pic.twitter.com/4Q5ygwslk0
NewJeans concluded by saying that they are not willing to follow HYBE's decisions blindly and stressed the importance of Min Hee Jin's role in their success. The members expressed their desire for peace with the parent company, but only if their demands are met.
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