Adore Supports NewJeans' Hani Amid Controversy Over 'Ignore' Comment

Adore, the agency representing the girl group NewJeans, has expressed its full support for member Hani, who claimed she was told to 'ignore' by a manager from a rival label under HYBE. On the 27th, Adore released a statement via their official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, 'Hani clearly remembers that on May 27, a member of Belift Lab made a comment to her that was essentially 'ignore' or 'just pass by.' It was a relatively brief incident, and expecting Hani to recall every detail of the situation is an excessively harsh standard for a victim.'

Adore further emphasized, 'We fully trust our artist's words and genuinely regret the harm Hani has suffered.'

The dispute over the 'ignore' comment has seen conflicting accounts between Hani and Belift Lab, a label under HYBE. While Hani maintains that she heard the comment, Belift Lab has denied its existence. On July 7, Belift Lab issued a statement asserting that no such comment was made. However, Hani reiterated her claim during a National Assembly audit on July 15, stating that she was told to 'ignore' by a manager from a rival label in the hallway of the HYBE building.

Adore's recent support for Hani comes approximately two weeks after NewJeans members sent a letter of ultimatum to the agency. Until now, Adore had not publicly addressed the 'ignore' comment.

In their statement, Adore explained, 'We have maintained a cautious stance to avoid unnecessary controversy regarding our artist. However, despite our efforts, the related issues remain unresolved, prompting us to clarify our position.'

Meanwhile, on July 13, NewJeans sent a letter to Adore demanding the return of former CEO Min Hee-jin, stating that if their request was not accepted within 14 days, they would terminate their exclusive contracts.

Their specific demands included: an official apology from the manager who made the 'ignore' comment to Hani, the removal of videos and photos used without consent, an assessment and resolution of the damages NewJeans suffered from 'album pushing,' resolution of issues related to the conflict with director Shin Woo-seok of the Dolphin Kidnapping Group, and the preservation of NewJeans' unique identity and works.

Additionally, NewJeans requested that HYBE take all necessary actions regarding the decision to 'discard NewJeans' and identify the individuals responsible for this directive, urging legal action against any discovered violations.