In brief
Hanni, a prominent member of the K-pop group NewJeans, addressed bullying in the workplace in a recent appearance before the South Korean Parliament, though she brought few new revelations to light.
The National Assembly session in Seoul witnessed a rare instance of dissent within the highly-structured K-pop industry as NewJeans' Hanni, whose real name is Pham Ngoc Han, stepped forward to discuss workplace harassment. Expectations ran high as she took the stand to share her experiences. Her testimony, however, largely reiterated an incident already made public weeks earlier, where a Hybe employee allegedly advised another group to "ignore" her. Hanni expressed her frustration with the lack of support and respect from her label's leadership.As Hanni shared her experiences, fellow performers in the K-pop industry continue to navigate a landscape not fully protected by South Korean labor laws. The Environment and Labor Committee is currently examining the entertainment sector's working conditions, with the panel’s head, An Ho-young, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding entertainers' rights. The session also reflected ongoing tensions between NewJeans and their label, Hybe, particularly over the replacement of executive producer Min Hee-Jin. The band previously threatened to leave unless her position was restored, a deadline that has passed without further action from the group. Amidst rising accounts of unfair contracts and managerial abuse across the industry, the hearing marks a critical juncture for spotlighting and addressing these issues.
