NewJeans Parents Accuse HYBE of Mistreatment and Plagiarism Amid Label Feud

In a burgeoning scandal within the K-pop industry, the parents of the members of the popular girl group NewJeans have launched serious allegations against HYBE, the parent company of their management label ADOR. According to a detailed email initially sent to CEO Min Hee Jin and later leaked by Korean media, the parents accuse HYBE executives, including Bang Si Hyuk, of both mistreating the group members and plagiarizing their concepts for a newly debuted girl group, ILLIT.

The accusations of mistreatment involve Bang Si Hyuk allegedly ignoring greetings from NewJeans members, raising concerns about his recognition and respect for the artists under his own label. The parents have claimed that this behavior occurred on multiple occasions, and despite initial disbelief, they now firmly believe that their daughters were deliberately snubbed. This allegation adds a layer of personal discord to the existing professional grievances.

Further complicating matters, the parents allege that HYBE has copied key elements of NewJeans’ artistic identity—such as photography, styling, choreography, and music video aesthetics—for ILLIT. This, they argue, undermines NewJeans’ brand value and reflects poorly on HYBE’s management ethics and creative integrity. The controversy has sparked outrage among fans and has led to legal actions, signaling a deepening rift within one of K-pop’s leading enterprises.

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