Producer Yoon Il-sang has spoken out regarding the controversy involving the group NewJeans and HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
On October 13, Yoon Il-sang released a video titled 'Why Didn't I Talk About It? Thoughts on Bang Si-hyuk and NewJeans' on his YouTube channel 'Producer Yoon Il-sang.' In the video, he announced plans for legal action against malicious commenters, stating, "I will sue the malicious commenters. If the insults are mild, I'll be disappointed."
When the production team mentioned that NewJeans fans were leaving negative comments asking, 'Why don't you talk about Bang Si-hyuk?' Yoon Il-sang responded, "If Bang Si-hyuk has done something wrong, he will face consequences. However, that is a separate issue from NewJeans. They should not be mixed." He further explained, "The essence of the NewJeans situation is NewJeans itself. Bang Si-hyuk's issues should be viewed as his own."
Previously, in May, during the NewJeans controversy, Yoon Il-sang had commented, "Contracts are not a joke. You shouldn't expose artists to danger while claiming to care for them." Following these remarks, some NewJeans fans left malicious comments on his YouTube channel.
He expressed his hopes for NewJeans' success, saying, "I want NewJeans to do well. The time as a team is too precious. The refreshing energy of NewJeans, the voice and choreography of 'Super Shy,' are only possible at their current age. It's unfortunate that such moments could disappear due to adult issues." He added, "I don't understand why Bang Si-hyuk's name is being brought up."
Yoon Il-sang also stated that he has no interest in Bang Si-hyuk personally. He explained, "I don't care what Bang Si-hyuk has done. I'm busy writing my songs. I hope that the artists currently active make good music and that the Korean music industry develops. That's why I said I hope NewJeans does well."
He also discussed his plans to sue malicious commenters, saying, "I see it as part of the societal purification process with the change in government. Filing lawsuits feels like participating in social purification." He added, "I consider suing a social contribution. It's not that I feel bad when insulted; rather, if the insults are mild, I feel disappointed. I will sue."
Meanwhile, Yoon Il-sang is a prominent composer who has been active since the 1990s. He has created numerous hit songs, including Goofy’s 'Many Many,' Kim Gun-mo’s 'A Bird Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' Kim Bum-soo’s 'I Miss You,' 'Last Love,' Kim Yeon-ja’s 'Amor Fati,' Young Turks Club’s 'Affection,' Lee Moon-se’s 'Unknown Life,' Lee Seung-chul’s 'Fate,' and Lee Eun-mi’s 'I Have a Lover.'
Currently, all NewJeans members have expressed their intention to return to their agency, ADOR. Hae-rin and Hye-in have resumed activities after reaching an agreement with ADOR, while Min-ji, Danielle, and Hani have notified their return through separate channels and are coordinating with ADOR.
Reporter Min-kyung Lee, TenAsia 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr