The Ministry of Employment and Labor has ruled that allegations of workplace harassment involving Hanni, a Vietnamese Australian member of K-pop girl group NewJeans, do not fall under labor law protections, as she is not classified as a worker under the Labor Standards Act. On Wednesday, the ministry announced the closure of a complaint filed last month by NewJeans’ fan base, known as "Bunnies," which alleged that Hanni was subjected to workplace harassment at Hybe’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, in May. “Hanni cannot be considered a worker under the Labor Standards Act, as the nature of her management contract does not reflect a subordinate employment relationship,” the ministry stated.
The ministry cited several factors in its decision, including the absence of specific working hours or locations, the shared financial responsibility between Hanni and Hybe for activities and the nature of her income, which was deemed profit-sharing rather than wages. Additionally, Hanni’s tax filings under business income, not earned income, and her lack of subordination to company regulations such as internal employment rules further supported the decision. The ministry also referred to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that categorized entertainer contracts as civil mandate agreements, or unnamed contracts, rather than employment contracts under labor law.
This precedent has exempted entertainers from protections under the Labor Standards Act, including provisions addressing workplac.
