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'Ashamed and sorry': NewJeans fan club publicly apologizes to ADOR CEO Kim Ju Young; accepts legal risk over malicious remarks
NewJeans fan club issues public apology to ADOR CEO Ju Young Kim after malicious comments spark a backlash, pledging reform and accepting legal responsibility. Read more here!
The fan club of NewJeans (NJZ), has issued a detailed public apology to ADOR CEO Ju Young Kim after a string of malicious and defamatory comments made by members of the fan community went viral across online platforms. The incident has sparked a wave of controversy within the K-pop community and raised broader questions about fan accountability, cyberbullying, and the responsibilities of organized fan clubs.
The apology comes in the wake of a post shared on a Korean online community, where screenshots of hurtful comments made by club members were compiled and exposed. The remarks targeted CEO Ju Young Kim with harsh insults, crude language, and baseless speculations. Some comments went so far as to link her negatively to Bang Si Hyuk, the founder of HYBE Labels, further escalating the issue and inviting potential legal consequences.
In response, the NJZ's fan club issued a comprehensive statement, taking full responsibility for the situation and expressing regret over their delayed response. The statement acknowledged the gravity of the comments and the failure of fan club administrators to monitor and manage the conversation within their community.
As quoted by Koreaboo, “We feel responsible for the serious insults and malicious comments regarding ADOR’s CEO, Ju Young Kim, and apologize for what occurred in our fan club. The offensive comments made by our members in the fan club cannot be forgiven with any excuse. We also deeply regret that there were no edits or corrections to the comments made,” the fan club wrote.
The fan club clarified that they are aware of the potential legal ramifications of the comments made on their platform and expressed, “We sincerely apologize to ADOR’s CEO, as it is unacceptable to insult someone with crude and excessive comments. We recognize that we are not free from legal issues, including the notices on the fan cafe. We will accept all responses in this regard.”
The apology also extended personal accountability from the fan club’s leadership, acknowledging that their delay in realizing the severity of the situation made the issue worse. The operator of the fan club admitted that during the height of media scrutiny and the ongoing national audits involving ADOR, they were overwhelmed and inexperienced, as it was their first time facing such intense circumstances. This distraction, they acknowledged, caused them to overlook how their inaction and failure to manage the situation hurt others.
They vowed to overhaul the fan club’s operations, improve comment moderation, and implement stricter community guidelines to avoid similar issues in the future. "I am ashamed and sorry that I realized this too late through public disclosure. I promise to be more proactive in correction and the way this fan club is operated," they said.
The incident has stirred a major public reaction, with many netizens expressing shock at the tone and nature of the comments. Screenshots of some of the most malicious posts have continued circulating on social media, drawing criticism from fans of NewJeans and neutral observers alike. Many commenters online voiced support for the idea of ADOR pursuing legal action, arguing that targeted harassment and character defamation should not go unpunished, especially in such a high-profile industry.
As of now, neither ADOR nor CEO Ju Young Kim has issued an official response to the apology or the calls for legal intervention. However, given the scope of the backlash and the public nature of the issue, many are anticipating a statement from the label shortly.
