On September 13, support for NewJeans grew louder in the music industry. In particular, Dawon from girl group WJSN (also known as Cosmic Girls) publicly supported NewJeans via her social media.
She posted a screenshot of NewJeans’ album cover with the word “Forever” added. The picture included NewJeans songs like “Super Shy,” “Attention,” “How Sweet,” and “Supernatural.” This is interpreted as a message of support for NewJeans following their recent live broadcast.
Bada, a senior artist from the group S.E.S., has consistently shown public support for NewJeans. Previously, she posted a video of Hanni singing a self-composed song, commenting, “Can’t the adults be more wise or compassionate so that these kids, who are just starting to pursue their dreams, won’t get hurt?”
She also shared the music video for NewJeans’ “Bubble Gum” with a message expressing concern, saying, “I wonder if these young friends have been struggling amidst the complicated adult matters.”
Fandoms of other groups have also come out in support of NewJeans. A notable example is the fans of the group SEVENTEEN, who are under HYBE’s subsidiary label Pledis.
Particularly, SEVENTEEN fan accounts have posted messages on X (formerly Twitter) criticizing HYBE and expressing support for NewJeans. Many of them stated, “It seems the pressure HYBE is putting on other artists could also be directed toward SEVENTEEN members,” and, “The thought that this could become our issue in the future keeps lingering.”
HYBE oversees multiple labels, with many artists under its umbrella — 12 groups and 5 solo artists. If the fandoms of these groups unite, their influence could be significant.
On the other hand, NewJeans members held an emergency live broadcast on September 11.
During this broadcast, Hyein stated, “The way HYBE operates is neither honest nor right. Please stop interfering any further. Bring back the CEO and return Ador to its original state, not this unfamiliar environment.”
Danielle also expressed, “HYBE only seems like an inhumane company”, while Hanni revealed that a manager from another group had told someone to “ignore” her right in front of her.
NewJeans includes minors like Haerin and Hyein. The sight of these young members publicly expressing their mental distress due to the conflict between former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE has shocked the public. Regardless of the truth behind Min Hee-jin’s claims, it is evident that HYBE, as a management company, has lost the trust of its artists and is showing inadequacy in its response. After NewJeans’ ultimatum, HYBE’s stock price plummeted, highlighting the urgent need for an official explanation and stance.
HYBE’s continued silence is causing it to lose both public support and investors. In the entertainment industry, the consumers are the public. To retain customers who are gradually turning away, HYBE needs to take proactive measures.
Source: TenAsia
