Is it a cultural difference?
This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.
This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.
On May 13, Ilgan Sports published an email sent from HYBE subsidiary ADOR on behalf of the NewJeans members’ parents to HYBE. The email criticized the company for “exploiting” and “mistreating” NewJeans. An example of the mistreatment was that HYBE founder and chairman Bang Si Hyuk (also known as Hitman Bang or Bang PD) purposefully “ignored” the NewJeans members whenever they would greet them.
Whenever the NewJeans members encountered Bang Si Hyuk in the company building, we wondered why Bang Si Hyuk would pretend not to recognize the members and turn a blind eye to their greetings. At first, we didn’t believe our children, thinking, ‘Oh, he probably just didn’t recognize you then,’ so we attempted to verify this.
However, since this issue has happened several times, with different dates and locations, even when it was just Bang Si Hyuk and the members, we believe there is no other possibility except recognizing that they are, in fact, NewJeans.
— NewJeans’ parents
NewJeans members’ parents felt it was basic manners to accept their children’s greetings. They felt embarrassed after learning about this alleged mistreatment.
Even if you don’t recognize the NewJeans members, it’s just basic manners to accept someone’s greetings when they say hello first. Is that so difficult?
As parents, we were embarrassed and had nothing to say about this childish situation after hearing that it wasn’t just once or twice where they were deliberately avoided, but examples such as they were embarrassed that they were being ignored so they just stood in the elevator with blank expressions or noticing that he was pretending to not see them. They are just middle and high schoolers.
— NewJeans’ parents
Korean netizens reacted in agreement with NewJeans’ parents. They felt that Bang Si Hyuk was in the wrong, calling his actions “loser” behavior.
- “Why is an adult acting like that towards children? I’m so embarrassed for him.”
- “Wow, lol.”
- “Why is he like that? What a loser.”
- “This is even worse than I thought. I never want to see him again.”
- “Wow, isn’t he old enough to be their parents? He’s the epitome of a loser beta male. It’s not like they are some random children, they are his artist.”
- “He’s the biggest loser.”
- “Let NewJeans go…”
On the other hand, international netizens defended Bang Si Hyuk. Many felt that it was simply an everyday scenario of one’s boss not acknowledging them, which most experience regularly and are used to.
Your biggest complaint is not being acknowledged in an elevator? Lol. Ok.
— Rafranz ⁷ (@rafranzdavis) May 13, 2024
Netizens also believe that Bang Si Hyuk did the right thing. Many feel that it’s only suitable that the chairman, who is an older man, not become too friendly with NewJeans, as they are all very young girls.
they are minors, he shouldn’t be friendly with them outside of absolute necessity. He did the right thing. there should be an appropriate distance. this excuse is dumb. pic.twitter.com/Y5srsOM9dT
— reyna ⁷⁼¹ (@lethalbangtan) May 13, 2024
He is the chairman and a middle-aged man, and these are literally kids. Had he taken any special interest on them, the story would’ve been totally different. It’s not my business, but I prefer this version for the sake of those kids.
Parents are bumb, truely https://t.co/zCEdgiudNS— ΛRYA~ 아포방포 (@BE_BlueandGray) May 13, 2024
y’all want an elderly man to be buddy buddy with minors??and if he was,the same people will call him a p£do like pick a side https://t.co/QArEAIO2Uy
— Chocolatae⟭⟬RPWP ᴿᴹ (@Chocolataelove) May 13, 2024
They argued that Bang Si Hyuk behaved professionally, as a chairman should, concerning young artists. Some claimed that this is also typical behavior for him, as he is not known to be overly friendly with his labels’ artists. In a previous interview with CNN, he explained that he supports the labels’ independence and that BTS is the only group who might consider him more than just a boss, as they have known each other for over a decade, starting from Big Hit Entertainment.
Girl if I worked for Amazon i wouldn’t expect Jeff Bezos to talk to me?? 😭 like please it’s so unrealistic to expect the chairman of the company to do this https://t.co/LoDw9UEGHd
— ashy⁷ (@MANGBharDo) May 13, 2024
Bang pd already said in an interview. He is not friendly with anyone except BTS, because BTS has been with him since the start. With other he only has professional relationship. This is how a chairman of a company should be. Bang pd is not their friend.
— reyna ⁷⁼¹ (@lethalbangtan) May 13, 2024
“To @BTS_twt, I think it’s all of the above… To other artists, I support the independence of the labels very strongly, so we haven’t had much contact.”
–@hitmanb on roles he plays to the artists: Father figure? Big brother? Mentor? Producer? Bestfriend?#BTS #BangPD #HYBE pic.twitter.com/SDdrB5k4IO— Sari Setiogi Griberg (@setiogi) March 2, 2023
Ignoring one’s greeting is not necessarily a big deal everywhere, especially in Western countries. Yet, in Korea, as greetings are made by bowing, it can be considered very disrespectful not to acknowledge it. Juniors, such as NewJeans, are obligated to their seniors. It is customary for seniors to recognize their juniors, whether vocally or by returning a less accentuated bow.
Knowing the cultural context, do you think Bang Si Hyuk did the right thing, or did he truly mistreat NewJeans?
