Hanni (Phạm Ngọc Hân), a 20-year-old member of the popular girl group NewJeans, testified before a National Assembly committee about her experiences with workplace bullying and isolation. (Image courtesy of National Assembly Press Corps)
SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – In a rare moment of emotional candor for the K-pop industry, Hanni (Phạm Ngọc Hân), a 20-year-old member of the popular girl group NewJeans, testified before a National Assembly committee about her experiences with workplace bullying and isolation, drawing international attention to labor practices in South Korea’s entertainment sector.
Hanni’s appearance at the parliamentary audit of the Environment and Labor Committee on October 15 was hailed by Billboard, the American music industry publication, as a potential “beacon of hope” that could “spark more open communication to address accountability” in an industry known for its strict control over artists.
During her testimony, Hanni, an Australian of Vietnamese descent, recounted instances of feeling dismissed by company executives. “I was told by another team’s manager to ‘ignore her,’ and this wasn’t a one-time occurrence,” she said, fighting back tears.
She also mentioned being consistently ignored by high-ranking individuals when attempting to greet them, describing it as “a problem that only those who experience it can truly feel.”
Hanni (Phạm Ngọc Hân), a 20-year-old member of the popular girl group NewJeans, testified before a National Assembly committee about her experiences with workplace bullying and isolation. (Image courtesy of National Assembly Press Corps)
The singer’s emotional disclosure provides “a rare glimpse into the experiences artists routinely face beyond the spotlight in the K-pop industry, notorious for its rigid control and intense pressure on idols,” Billboard noted in its coverage of the event.
The parliamentary committee’s investigation into labor conditions in the entertainment industry, which often fall outside the purview of standard labor laws, has drawn significant attention. Committee Chairman Ahn Ho-young emphasized the need for legislators to step in to protect the rights of pop culture artists.
Hanni’s testimony has resonated beyond South Korea’s borders, with the BBC also reporting on the event under the headline “NewJeans’ Hanni Tearfully Testifies About Workplace Bullying at Parliamentary Audit.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
