NewJeans Fandom Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Petition Inflation

≪Choi Ji-ye's Epilogue≫
Choi Ji-ye, a TenAsia journalist, provides an objective and sharp analysis of incidents occurring in the entertainment industry, offering insights you might have missed.

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The NewJeans fandom, 'Team Bunnies,' is under scrutiny after submitting a petition with 30,000 signatures to the court, which is now facing allegations of 'inflated numbers.' Despite usually addressing controversies promptly, both NewJeans and Team Bunnies have remained silent this time. Instead of providing an explanation, Team Bunnies has closed the Google Form link.

Previously, on the 13th, Team Bunnies submitted a '30,000-signature petition' to the court, requesting the dismissal of Adore's injunction. Following a report by TenAsia, suspicions arose that the number of signatures on the petition was exaggerated, as the signature link targeting global fans lacked a duplicate prevention feature. Shortly after the report, the link became inaccessible.

Among K-pop fans, skepticism about the credibility of this petition is growing. Netizens shared the article on online communities, expressing views such as "This petition seems fabricated," "The court is unlikely to take this petition seriously," and "Trustworthiness is more important than numbers." Industry insiders criticized the petition submission, stating it undermines K-pop's global reputation.

The petition also sparked controversy during the signature collection process due to a concurrent prize event. Participants who verified their signatures could receive small rewards like chicken, burgers, or convenience store gift coupons. Team Bunnies claimed, "The prize event is unrelated to Team Bunnies," but this explanation was met with skepticism.

A legal expert noted, "Petitions submitted to the court are typically written to seek leniency in cases of injustice," adding that "this petition might negatively impact NewJeans."

Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr