Hyein from NewJeans Faces Backlash Over Profile Picture Following National Assembly Audit

On October 15th, during a National Assembly audit organized by the Environment and Labor Committee, NewJeans member Hanni appeared as a witness. Her presence caught the attention of netizens, particularly when they noticed the NewJeans rabbit mascot, known as Bunnies, displayed on the tablet of Democratic Party representative Park Hong-bae, who was questioning her. The Bunnies were dressed in a blue jacket, representing the Democratic Party’s signature color, with the National Assembly setting the scene.

Following Hanni’s appearance, Hyein altered her profile picture on the fan interaction platform Phoning to showcase a blue Bunnies. This sparked speculation among fans, with some claiming that her choice of color was a subtle indication of political alignment, expressing concerns that as a well-known idol, she should remain neutral to avoid influencing her fanbase.

In light of the ensuing controversy, Hyein switched her profile picture to a black and white version, but the discussions persisted, leading her to eventually opt for a completely different image.

Some users felt that at just 16 years old, Hyein did not intend to support any political party with her profile change. They acknowledged, however, that even minor gestures can stir discord if they have perceived political connotations, highlighting the need for caution in such situations.

On the same day, Hanni provided testimony at the National Assembly regarding issues of “idol bullying and workplace harassment.”

Hanni recounted her experience where a manager from another label under HYBE instructed her with the words, “Ignore her.” She stated, “I felt compelled to speak out here today because I knew that if I didn’t, this issue would quietly disappear and remain unaddressed. This is a concern that could affect anyone in the future. I hope that my appearance here will help prevent similar experiences for other colleagues, juniors, or trainees in the industry.”

Kim Joo-young, CEO of ADOR, elaborated, “The manager mentioned by Hanni works for a separate company under a different CEO. Nevertheless, we took steps to reach out to the artists and managers of that label to verify the occurrence of this incident. Unfortunately, we also had to check on the possibility of restoring expired CCTV footage to dig deeper into the matter.”

Source: Naver

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