NewJeans and Belift Lab are embroiled in a controversy over allegations that a manager from ILLIT told others to ignore NewJeans member Hanni. The dispute has escalated due to claims of deleted CCTV footage, which Belift Lab denies, stating that no mistreatment occurred. Online communities are divided, with some supporting NewJeans and others viewing the allegations as exaggerated.
Conflict Between Belift Lab and NewJeans
The conflict between NewJeans and their agency, HYBE, is escalating as allegations of mistreatment have emerged. The issue stems from a claim that a manager from ILLIT, another girl group under the same agency, allegedly told someone to “ignore” NewJeans member Hanni. This dispute has led to conflicting narratives from both sides, deepening the tension.
Allegations Against Belift Lab and NewJeans Over Deleted CCTV Footage
Mothers of the NewJeans members claim that Hanni was ignored by an ILLIT manager, as captured on CCTV. They also allege that this footage was later deleted. In contrast, Belift Lab, the agency for ILLIT, denied these allegations and stated that no such remark was made. According to them, the ILLIT members did not ignore NewJeans at any point. This directly contradicts the accusations and intensifies the ongoing conflict.
Hanni’s Allegations and Belift Lab’s Investigation Into NewJeans Incident
In support of the allegations, Hanni previously mentioned during a YouTube live broadcast that she encountered ILLIT members and their manager at a makeup location, where the manager allegedly told the others to “ignore” her. This statement aligns with the claims made by her mother, further fueling the controversy. However, an internal investigation by Belift Lab determined that the only interaction between the two groups occurred on May 27th, where ILLIT members were seen greeting Hanni with a 90-degree bow in CCTV footage. No evidence of the alleged mistreatment was found.
Belift Lab’s Response and Controversy Over Deleted Footage
According to Belift Lab, they reviewed the CCTV footage on August 14 with HYBE officials, including former CEO Min Hee-jin. Min argued that the “ignoring” incident happened after the footage, implying that more evidence had been deleted. However, security companies said they could not retrieve further footage as the 30-day retention period had already passed. Despite this, NewJeans alleged that HYBE erased the footage on purpose to cover up the incident. Belift Lab denied that their manager would use such language, stating that they always address artists with honorifics. The CCTV had no audio, which weakened the credibility of the “ignore” claim.
Public Reaction and Online Communities Divided Over NewJeans Allegations
The controversy surrounding NewJeans and their treatment by HYBE and Belift Lab has sparked a divide in public opinion, particularly in online communities. On the left-leaning site theqoo, many support NewJeans and accuse Belift Lab of lying, suggesting that leftist members of the National Assembly will side with the group during an upcoming parliamentary session. They hope that HYBE will face consequences for its actions. However, there is also a minority opinion within the community questioning why the National Assembly is even involved in matters like idol group bullying.
Conversely, in the male-dominated MLBPARK community, users are expressing frustration over the ongoing allegations. Many believe that NewJeans, along with their parents, are exaggerating the situation to gain control over ADOR, another subsidiary. There is also skepticism towards NewJeans’ claims, with some viewing them as unreasonable and overblown. Several users speculate that the real motive behind this conflict is for NewJeans to terminate their contract with HYBE without paying any penalties.
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I’m not sure if making such a big deal out of this is the right move, even if Hanni was told to be ignored. This might make other HYBE idols avoid NewJeans completely.