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STORY: :: K-pop star Hanni appeals for young artists

to be treated better at a parliamentary hearing

:: Hanni Pham, NewJeans member

“I know it's not going to solve all the problems in the world, but if we just respect each other, at least there will be no problems with bullying and harassment in the workplace.”

:: Seoul, South Korea

:: October 15, 2024

:: File

:: The K-pop industry has been dogged by

complaints of high pressure and bullying for years

The singer, whose full name is Hanni Pham, recounted to parliament's labor committee how she had heard a manager telling staff to ignore and pretend not to see the group when she bumped into them in a corridor. A series of actions at the workplace made the group feel they were hated by the company, she said.

Her testimony in South Korea's parliament is a rare appearance by a major K-pop star to address bullying in the industry.

The group itself has been caught in the middle of a clash between executives of its parent powerhouse label HYBE and the former CEO of its subsidiary Ador, which manages NewJeans.

Ador CEO Kim Ju-young told the parliamentary hearing that she was reviewing the situation but has yet to find proof to establish Hanni's claims.