“At first, they asked me to come into the office to discuss work, but then they suddenly accused me of misconduct.”

Mr. A, the manager of NewJeans who filed a workplace harassment complaint against ADOR and CEO Kim Joo-young, has refuted the claims that he engaged in inappropriate behavior, calling them lies.

In an interview with Ilgan Sports late on the evening of the 10th, Mr. A said, “After finishing the Japan schedule with NewJeans and returning to Korea on the 3rd, I was asked to come into the office to discuss a reporter’s inquiry. I went in, and after briefly discussing that matter, they suddenly interrogated me, asking if I had contacted advertisers.”

Earlier that day, Mr. A had filed a workplace harassment complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor against ADOR and CEO Kim Joo-young. He claimed that ADOR had lured him under the pretense of discussing work, only to give him a temporary leave notice and demand that he return his laptop, even though he requested to leave. He alleged that they illegally detained him for about three hours before returning the laptop.

In his petition, Mr. A stated that ADOR had forced him to submit his personal mobile phone without any legal basis, and that all work-related materials were backed up online (on the company drive), while the laptop only contained personal files. Despite formatting the laptop, he was told that the act of formatting would be used as grounds for disciplinary action and that an investigation was being initiated.

ADOR responded, claiming, “Mr. A contacted advertisers directly, bypassing the company and pushing for contracts between artists and brands. The manager himself has admitted to this communication,” adding, “This is a serious violation of the artist’s exclusive contract.”

ADOR further asserted, “We provided the manager with ample opportunities to clarify his actions, but he refused to cooperate, making false statements that contradicted clear evidence. As a result, we had no choice but to issue a temporary leave and demand the return of company property, the laptop. There was no coercion or illegal detention during this process,” they said. They also mentioned that after requesting the laptop’s return, Mr. A took several hours to deliver it, and when he finally submitted it, he had formatted the device, making it impossible to recover any data.

In response, Mr. A said, “After the NewJeans members announced their intention to cancel their exclusive contracts, they asked me to relay their message to advertisers. Since the members couldn’t contact advertisers directly, I merely conveyed their wishes and made it clear that it was their decision. There was absolutely no misconduct involved. But ADOR twisted the situation and made it seem like I had done something wrong.”

He emphasized, “ADOR claims I pushed for direct contracts between artists and brands without the company’s involvement, but this is completely false.”

Mr. A went on to describe, “Once CEO Kim Joo-young’s interrogation was over, the HR team from HYBE came in and gave me the temporary leave notice, demanding the return of the laptop. I was told to come back to the office urgently on my way home, and I said I would return the laptop the next day if necessary.”

He added, “Then the security team checked the CCTV and lied, claiming I had entered the office carrying a suitcase. They threatened me, saying they would contact my parents to check if I had the laptop at home and even suggested coming with me to take it.”

Mr. A continued, “Since the laptop contained my personal information, I backed up all company materials and formatted it before submitting it. I also showed ADOR the backup.” He said he was detained for over three hours during this process. “After submitting the laptop and feeling exhausted, CEO Kim Joo-young asked me to submit my personal phone. I refused, questioning why I should hand over my personal phone.”

Mr. A explained, “I said I would resign rather than accept such unfair treatment. Then, they told me that even if I expressed my intention to resign, the company wouldn’t accept it, and I would have to wait for 30 days before it became effective. They insisted I should undergo an investigation for misconduct.”

Mr. A also mentioned seeing news that HYBE had confiscated laptops from junior managers, which reportedly made them cry in frustration. “I couldn’t take it anymore, so I filed the workplace harassment complaint,” he said.

Mr. A concluded, “Just because the company and members are having conflicts doesn’t mean a manager’s job disappears. During this time, I continued to support other managers and staff, focusing on the schedule. When external contractors asked where to deposit the guarantee, I told them to do it through ADOR . Now, they accuse me of misconduct, and I’m furious.”

https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/241/0003400843

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1. Are they crazy? Seriously?

2. The manager really got hit from all sides.

3. They’ve been harassing with the term “workplace bullying,” and now they’ve actually been reported for real workplace bullying, that’s legendaryㅋㅋㅋ

4. Wow, that’s creepy.

5. Hybe’s people think they’re above the law. All those Yongsan pigs are the same, causing trouble together this year. Just go away, damn.

6. They’re a malicious company, seriouslyㅋㅋ In a world where even parents can’t just seize their kids’ personal phones, what gives a company the right? I really hope they’re held legally accountable for their mistakes.

7. If you believe Hybe’s and Ador’s statements, you should really watch out for scams.

8. Is the manager still affiliated with Ador??

9. A shady company.

10. A company like this, with a one-year employment ban in the same industry, agreement to not file lawsuits, non-disclosure agreements, and permanent record-keeping—how can they be chosen as a leading company?