NJZ’s Danielle Reveals HYBE’s Extreme Trainee Surveillance: Even Bathroom Trips Had to Be Reported
On March 16, during a live English broadcast on NJZ‘s official account, Danielle shared her experiences as a trainee at HYBE and the strict rules she had to follow.
Danielle revealed that during her training period, she and other trainees were subjected to intense monitoring, even needing to ask for permission before using the bathroom, even during break time. “For example, this is a minor thing, but even during free time, we had to leave a message before going to the bathroom. We were constantly monitored while staying in the practice room, so we didn’t have much freedom. Even before eating, I had to take a picture of my meal and send it to a female manager, who would then check what I was eating.” Danielle recalled.
She also admitted that trainees always felt pressured to comply with these rules for fear of losing their debut opportunity. “The reason we had to follow these rules was because we thought we wouldn’t be able to debut if we didn’t. It felt like we would be cut if we didn’t comply. Even now, I sometimes feel like I haven’t completely escaped that mindset. Maybe the other members don’t feel the same way, but I did,” Danielle confessed.
The person who helped Danielle and the other members change their perspective on HYBE’s trainee system was Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR. “When we met CEO Min Hee-jin, many things changed. I remember how extremely shocked she was when she heard about how we had been living as trainees.” She also questioned, “I wondered why they operated a system that suppressed our creativity. I wasn’t sure of the reason. Maybe it was just the way the system had always been in this industry, or maybe the people in charge at the time wanted to control us more easily.”
Danielle and NJZ members are in an ongoing legal battle with ADOR. On November 27, 2024, they held a press conference accusing ADOR of contract violations and stated that if the issues were not resolved within 14 days, they would cease activities under the company.
On November 29, 2024, they officially announced their contract termination. In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court on December 3, 2024, seeking confirmation of NJZ’s exclusive contract validity. The first hearing took place on March 7, 2025, focusing on ADOR’s request to prohibit NJZ from signing advertising contracts independently. Both sides maintained firm positions, and a ruling is expected after the court reviews additional materials by March 14, 2025.
In a separate event, NJZ members Minji, Danielle, and Hanni were seen at the “Ruby Experience” after-party with Jennie (BLACKPINK), where she displayed warm, affectionate behavior, especially towards Hanni. Fans described Jennie as a “big sister” to the group, highlighting the positive and supportive relationship between her and NJZ despite potential fanbase differences.
