Criticism of Dispatch for Alleged Stalking of NewJeans and Editing Min Hee-jin’s Text Messages?

Allegations Against Min Hee-jin: A Closer Examination

On December 12, the Korean media outlet Dispatch released a contentious article implicating Min Hee-jin in the recent controversies surrounding NewJeans. The publication accused her of utilizing the girl group for personal gain, particularly during a press conference and Hanni’s recent national assembly hearing.

Included in this report were various screenshots of Min Hee-jin’s purported text messages, along with an array of photographs featuring her and the NewJeans members. However, this release has ignited controversy, with many criticizing Dispatch for what appears to be invasive behavior, equating it to stalking.

The reaction among netizens has been overwhelmingly skeptical, with doubts raised about the authenticity of the published text messages. Critics highlighted inconsistencies within the screenshots; notably, they observed that the text bubbles exhibited irregular shapes. Furthermore, Korean text messages traditionally include “AM/PM” time stamps, a detail that was conspicuously absent from Dispatch’s images.

Adding fuel to the fire, it has come to light that the Dispatch reporter responsible for the article previously faced allegations of breaching the Personal Information Protection Act, with accusations originating from a fanbase of NewJeans. This revelation has escalated suspicions regarding possible collusion between Dispatch and the entertainment conglomerate HYBE, especially considering Min Hee-jin and NewJeans’ previous stances against the larger corporation.

Community Reactions

The backlash has prompted a wave of comments from social media users. Here are some notable reactions:

“Reporters are truly HYBE’s guards and combat soldiers.”
“Could NewJeans’ parents potentially initiate legal action for a restraining order? Dispatch is truly disgusting.”
“Is Dispatch literally stalking a minor?”
“Do they think they are above the law? Stalking is a blatant crime.”
“Wow, now that company is even doing illegal things with confidence.”

Source: theqoo (1, 2), X

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