🔗 2024-09-25 Team Bunnies Notice

Hello, this is Team Bunnies. Today, on the radio show Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show, there was an exposure by journalist Jang Hyung-woo regarding ‘HYBE’s media control.’

Following the broadcast, we received tips that unbelievable rumors about journalist Jang Hyung-woo are spreading among other reporters.

Journalist Jang Hyung-woo is one of the people who reported HYBE’s misconduct to us, and other than that, he is someone with whom we have absolutely no personal acquaintance.

He also states that he has no connection with former CEO Min Hee-jin and has never met her. He is not a fan of any specific artist. He simply reported HYBE’s misconduct to uphold his professional ethics as a journalist.

Journalist Jang Hyung-woo is recognized within the Industry Department of Seoul Shinmun, and is such a capable journalist that the management, including the desk, tried to dissuade him from leaving. He was already in the process of changing jobs even before this exposure. He mentioned that he decided to make a public report after watching the NewJeans live stream.

Furthermore, although he shared the same beat (the Ministry of Economy and Finance, where over 100 companies visit, during his past days in the Economy Department) with HYBE PR Director Cho Sung-hoon, he says they have never even had a meal together.

HYBE and some communities that follow HYBE are carrying out internal and external attacks on journalist Jang through various channels. We suspect an organized movement. They are fabricating groundless rumors and spreading false facts about the journalist to obscure the essence of his report. However, there is no way this base method of media play will cover up HYBE’s misconduct.

You cannot cover the truth with lies. It makes us laugh because the method is so remarkably similar to how Director Shin Woo-seok was attacked. Please stop wasting energy on childish and absurd public opinion warfare, and prepare a proper explanation for the act of ‘co-opting’ that HYBE is committing. Are you going to mobilize cyber wreckers again to attack the messenger instead of countering the message?

As the management, please show a responsible attitude in managing the company.

Team Bunnies will do our best to protect journalist Jang Hyung-woo, who made a public interest report while risking all attacks. We also would like to thank the journalists once again who gave us tips out of concern for Mr. Jang’s personal safety.

Reporter Jang Hyung-woo of Seoul Shinmun exposed the content of a recorded call with the PR Office.

Reporter Jang Hyung-woo of Seoul Shinmun appeared on “Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show” on the 25th and exposed that HYBE PR disparaged NewJeans and claimed Ms. Min gaslighted NewJeans.

The reporter recorded the content of the call with the Head of the PR Office and provided it to the broadcast station.

The content of the recording was actually the PR Office requesting a correction regarding the erroneous report that “1.02 million copies were sold in Japan.” The mention of “gaslighting” was merely an explanation given in response to a question about how a management takeover is possible with a small amount of shares.

It is widely known inside and outside Seoul Shinmun that Reporter Jang boasted about being an acquaintance of Min Hee-jin in private settings. Rumor has it that NewJeans’ visit to the “Munch Exhibition” organized by Seoul Shinmun was also Reporter Jang’s doing.

Reporter Jang not only recorded the call with the Head of PR but even delivered it to Min Hee-jin’s side. This is a serious violation of journalistic ethics that must be upheld by a reporter.

Reporter Jang and the PR Head in question were close friends who covered the same beat (assigned area). He recorded a casual conversation between acquaintances and stepped forward to take one side in the dispute phase.

It is said that Reporter Jang was “marked” (stigmatized) internally for leading the opposition when Hoban Construction acquired Seoul Shinmun.

Reporter Jang has resigned from Seoul Shinmun. He is moving to Kakao Mobility and is awaiting his start date. During the job transition, he appeared on radio to expose content recorded during his time as a reporter. The reaction in the media and PR industry is one of bewilderment, questioning how he plans to change jobs after engaging in such behavior.

@NewJeansSTRM Team Bunnies