South Korean entertainment giant HYBE has ordered to review a detailed report into suspected cover-up of employee deaths due to overwork

SEOUL, Oct 16 – South Korean entertainment agency HYBE continues to find itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons – this time over allegations of covering up an employee’s death due to overwork.

The National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee yesterday held a hearing into workplace harassment allegations made by NewJeans member Hanni. Kim Joo-young, CEO of music label subsidiary ADOR, and Hanni acted as witnesses and references, respectively, to answer relevant inquiries from lawmakers.

“Is it true that a HYBE employee collapsed while working in the office in February 2022, was taken to a hospital and later died?” a Progressive Party committee member Jeong Hye-kyung asked CEO Kim Joo-young.

She had replied that, to her knowledge, “the incident occurred in September 2022. Unfortunately, the individual collapsed, was found and taken to hospital, but died a few days later due to a personal health condition.”

“The committee considers this a case of death by overwork,” Jeong replied.

“At that time, the expansions of HYBE subsidiaries resulted in employees managing multiple idol groups at the same time, including overseas, resulting in excessively long working hours.

“No workers’ compensation claim has been filed with the Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service. It appears to be a case of overwork and I wonder if there was an attempt to cover it up.”

Kim denied any cover-up and that the decision not to conduct an autopsy was made by the family of the deceased.

However, Jeong continued, “This is how cover-ups happen, through arrangements with the bereaved family. “Please check the details of the incident and provide us with an accurate report.”

Following the hearing, a person claiming to be a former colleague of the late HYBE employee posted online: “It was not a personal illness.” Allkpop.

“He was a young employee and at the time many colleagues attended his memorial service and funeral.

“The grieving family even wrote a thank you message in the company’s internal forum. It is absurd to claim that no work injury lawsuit has been filed. How could the deceased do this?”

Much criticism followed, and one person who identified themselves as working in the entertainment industry contacted X and said, “Overnight work is common in the entertainment industry.” In fact, deaths from overwork are not all that rare. It’s just that no one talks about it and it’s kept secret.”