NewJeans Fandom Files Official Complaint Against HYBE Over Alleged Information Leaks and Defamation

The fandom of K-pop group NewJeans has taken legal action against HYBE Corporation, filing an official complaint with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul. The complaint also implicates Source Music and Dispatch, accusing them of involvement in the unauthorized leak of personal information and defamation through published articles.

The legal representative for the fandom, known as Bunnies, is the law firm Opes. In a statement, Opes confirmed the gravity of the accusations, stating, "HYBE, as the parent company of Ador, cannot illegally collect or leak personal information regarding the CEO and artists of its subsidiary. Likewise, Source Music, another HYBE subsidiary, is also prohibited from such actions. The illegally collected and leaked personal information was used to craft articles that have incited malicious comments about NewJeans, severely damaging the group's reputation, with the harm continuing to this day."

The controversy has its roots in previous allegations made by Ador CEO Min Hee Jin, who accused HYBE and the girl group ILLIT of plagiarizing NewJeans' visual appearance, choreography, and musical style. The ongoing feud has reportedly taken a toll on the young members of NewJeans. The complaint filed by Bunnies seeks to rectify what they describe as the spread of false information and defamation through legal channels.

Lee Hyun Gon, a Seoul-based lawyer, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, particularly if the KakaoTalk conversations between Ador's CEO and other executives, which were previously released, were indeed leaked by an internal team at HYBE. "Such an act would constitute a severe breach of personal information, potentially violating legal statutes," Lee noted.

In response to the ongoing defamation, a representative for NewJeans revealed that the group is determined to pursue further legal action against malicious posts targeting the members. The representative disclosed that approximately one thousand such posts have already been identified, with plans to continue legal proceedings against all prosecutable cases.

As the situation develops, all eyes are on how these legal battles will unfold and their potential impact on the K-pop industry.