NewJeans' Danielle speaks out against restrictive K-pop training system

NewJeans/NJZ member Danielle has spoken out about her experiences in the K-pop training system during a recent livestream on the group's independent Instagram page.

The Korean-Australian singer shared details about her time as a trainee under various K-pop music labels during the 15th March broadcast, describing strict monitoring and control measures that were in place.

"Back when I was a trainee, there were times [when] deep down I knew something was wrong, but I forced myself to believe that was normal and everything that happened to me is very much normal," Danielle said during the stream.

Speaking about the restrictions placed on trainees, she continued: "You had to leave a message before you were able to go to the toilet and this was even in free time. You were constantly being watched over when you were in the practice room."

The singer also detailed dietary restrictions, saying: "I remember having to take pictures of what I ate before I was actually able to consume it. I had to send pictures to our manager and she would have to check it."

Despite having debuted almost three years ago, Danielle expressed ongoing concerns about the system. "I remember thinking, 'Why would they use this kind of system, when in fact it deprives us of creativity?'," she said. "I'm not sure, it could be just because it's being passed down through the industry. It also could be just because the people in control just wanted it to be easier to take control."

The group, who recently rebranded as NJZ, are currently involved in a legal dispute with their former label ADOR. The first court hearing saw ADOR expand their injunction to attempt to prevent the five-piece from all entertainment activities as an independent band. The group are set to headline ComplexCon Hong Kong this month, marking their first performance since the rebrand.