[2025 Latest] Who was bullying NewJeans? The truth behind the "Ignore Me" controversy and a complete summary of the footage released

The "NewJeans bullying" controversy escalated from 2024 to 2025. Who really said Hani's "ignore me" remark? We'll thoroughly clarify the misunderstandings and facts based on the latest information, including the CCTV footage released by ADOR in court, the messages sent by Hani and former CEO Min Hee-jin, and BELIFT LAB's official rebuttal.

table of contents

1. The beginning of the incident: What did Hani say when she said "ignore me"?

2. Summary of stakeholders and their claims (table)

3. CCTV footage released: The truth behind the 90-degree greeting

4. KakaoTalk reveals the vagueness of memory

5. BELIFT LAB's strong rebuttal and staff complaints of victimization

6. Overall Conclusion: Who is Bullying? —An updated, objective assessment

7. Q&A: Frequently asked questions and answers

1. The origin of the incident: How Hani's "ignore me" remarks began

In September 2024, NewJeans' Hani revealed during her YouTube Live that an ILLIT manager had told the other members to "ignore Hani" in the artist-only area of Hive headquarters, a remark that quickly went viral. She explained the situation at the time, saying, "When we passed each other, we exchanged greetings, but when we passed each other again, he said, 'ignore me,' within earshot of my ears." She added, "I didn't understand what was going on and I was really shocked." This confession was widely covered on social media and in the news, and even drew attention in Japan with the question, "Who is behind the NewJeans bullying?"

2. "Who said it?" Summary of the people involved and their claims

Stakeholders	Position and role	Claim content
Hani (NewJeans)	The party who filed the complaint	He explained that he heard the command to "ignore it," but "I don't remember exactly."
ILLIT Manager	Subject of suspicion	He completely denied making the statement.
ILLIT Member	Insa (greeting) parties	CCTV footage shows him bowing deeply
Min Heejin, former CEO of ADOR	Key person for internal reporting	It is pointed out that the incident was exaggerated based on Hani's story.
ADOR	NewJeans label	KakaoTalk refutes "exaggerated claims" from video
BELIFT LAB	ILLIT's label	"The statements about ignoring me and the failure to greet me are not true," he firmly denied.

3. CCTV footage released: The decisive moment of the 90-degree bow

In March 2025, ADOR released CCTV footage from the incident during the trial. While the footage lacks audio, it clearly shows the three ILLIT members bowing deeply at the waist and more than 90 degrees when they spotted Hani in the hallway. They then bowed deeply to Daniel from NewJeans, who walked past them. This means that Hani's assertions that she "didn't greet" or "ignored" her are unfounded. BELIFT LAB further explained, "CCTV footage is stored for 30 days, and additional footage was deleted after initial review. However, all parties involved agreed that she "politely greeted" them at the time of review." The company also refuted the claim that "Hive intentionally deleted the footage," arguing, "CCTV footage lacks audio, making it impossible to verify the presence or absence of the "ignoring" remarks through video evidence, and therefore, this is illogical."

4. KakaoTalk revealed: Hani's own confession of "ambiguity"

During the trial, KakaoTalk messages between Hani and former CEO Min Hee-jin were also made public, and these messages significantly changed the interpretation of the case. In the messages, Hani stated, "I don't remember the exact words," "It was more or less what she said," and "I didn't intend to make such a big deal out of it," indicating that she was unclear about whether she had explicitly said "ignore me." In response, former CEO Min repeatedly asked questions such as, "Were you told to ignore me?", "Did everyone ignore you?", and "Did your manager give the orders?", seemingly solidifying the situation as an "ignoring incident." Based on these points, ADOR claims that "it was former CEO Min Hee-jin who exaggerated the incident more than necessary."

5. BELIFT LAB's Strong Rebuttal: Why the "Bullying Structure" Doesn't Work

ILLIT's agency, BELIFT LAB, has consistently maintained a clear stance since the incident began. They strongly refuted the allegations, saying, "There was no instruction to ignore her," and "There is no evidence that she did not greet her." They explained that after conducting a staff investigation, interviewing artists, and reviewing CCTV footage immediately after Hani's remarks, all parties involved agreed that "no such instruction existed." Furthermore, while young staff members are suffering mentally from the heartless allegations, they also stated, "It is the staff members in weaker positions who are suffering," and warned that this controversy is creating "secondary damage that is not based on facts." This rebuttal further strengthens the possibility that the "NewJeans bullying" scenario itself is not based on the facts.

6. Overall conclusion: Who is the bully? —The most plausible answer at this point

Taking into account the CCTV footage, KakaoTalk messages, and official explanations from each agency, the following conclusion can be drawn: There is no evidence that ILLIT's manager said, "Ignore it." Hani herself has admitted that her statement was "inaccurate."

CCTV footage shows ILLIT members politely bowing 90 degrees, which is inconsistent with ignoring or bullying.

It is highly likely that former CEO Min Hee-jin was at the center of expanding the incident into a "disregard incident." Leading questions are the basis for this. At this stage, there is no one who can be called a "deliberate perpetrator of bullying" against NewJeans. This controversy appears to be the result of a complex mix of misunderstandings, vague memories, and miscommunication.

7. Q&A: A summary of the most frequently asked questions on the internet

Q1. Did ILLIT really bully Hani?
A. There is no evidence to support bullying. CCTV footage shows polite greetings.

Q2. Who said "ignore it"?
A. The person who made the statement has not been identified, and Hani herself has explained that it is "not accurate."

Q3. Was Min Hee-jin involved in the incident?
A. Based on the content of the KakaoTalk, it has been pointed out that he may have been at the center of the escalation of the incident.

Q4. Was NewJeans bullied?
A. At this point, there is no evidence to support the idea of "bullying," and it is most likely a misunderstanding.

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