NewJeans Issues Ultimatum: 'Apologize to Hani' - Will Ador's Warning Change Their Decision?

The day of reckoning has arrived for NewJeans. On November 13, the group sent a formal notice to Ador, demanding an investigation into the internal document from HYBE that stated, "We can create a new plan without 'New (뉴진스)'" and called for strict measures regarding the return of former CEO Min Hee-jin. They also requested an apology from the manager who allegedly told them to ignore member Hani. The members declared that if their demands were not addressed within 14 days of receiving the notice, they would terminate their exclusive contracts.

Ador received the notice on November 14 and expressed their commitment to finding a wise solution to continue working with the members. This set November 28 as the deadline designated by NewJeans.

On November 27, Ador took its first action in response to the notice. They stated, "The claims regarding the 'manager's dismissive remarks' are completely different from Hani's account. Hani clearly remembers that on May 27, a member of Belift Lab said something to the effect of 'ignore her' or 'just pass by.' It was a brief incident, and expecting Hani to recall every detail is an excessively harsh standard for a victim."

Ador further emphasized, "We fully trust our artist's words and genuinely regret the harm Hani has suffered. We hope Belift Lab will not take Hani's suffering lightly and will show mutual respect and sincerity."

Previously, Hani had claimed workplace harassment after encountering another artist and manager at the HYBE headquarters, where she allegedly heard the manager say, "Ignore her." This incident escalated to a National Assembly audit, but Belift Lab countered that after reviewing CCTV footage and statements from artists and managers, the members of ILY:1 greeted NewJeans with a 90-degree bow, and the manager denied making such comments.

Until now, Ador had not publicly addressed this issue. NewJeans members also informed Kim Joo-young, the new CEO of Ador, about the situation, but they expressed frustration that no action was taken due to a lack of evidence. With just one day left before the ultimatum, Ador finally took action.

However, they have yet to respond to NewJeans' other demands. Meanwhile, former CEO Min Hee-jin resigned from her position on November 20 and has initiated a 5 billion KRW lawsuit against Belift Lab for damages, along with defamation claims against CEO Kim Tae-ho and others. She has also filed complaints against HYBE's PR head, making her return to the company virtually impossible. Given that HYBE has maintained a 'principled response' policy, it may be challenging for them to accept NewJeans' other demands. The industry is watching closely to see if NewJeans will reconsider their decision in light of Ador's warning.