NewJeans Fan Group Team Bunnies Under Fire Over Illegal Fundraising Claims
A member of Team Bunnies, a fan group supporting NewJeans, has been referred to the Juvenile Division of the Seoul Family Court for violating the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations (Donation Act) after organizing an unauthorized fundraising campaign. The referral was made due to the individual’s minor status.
According to Chosun Biz on October 28, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office concluded that the Team Bunnies representative, identified as “A,” violated the Donation Act and transferred the case to the juvenile court. Prosecutors reportedly decided to treat the case as a protective proceeding rather than a criminal trial, considering A’s age and the nature of the act.
A legal source commented, “It’s likely this happened due to a lack of understanding of relevant regulations. Since the person involved is a minor, it’s not treated as a punishable offense under the Juvenile Act.”
The Family Court’s Juvenile Division will now review A’s age, actions, and potential for correction before determining whether to issue a protection order such as disciplinary guidance, community service, or probation. If the case is deemed minor, it may be closed without further action.
Unauthorized Fundraiser That Sparked a Legal Controversy
Team Bunnies was formed in 2023 during heightened tensions between HYBE and ADOR as a subgroup of NewJeans’ fandom, Bunnies. The collective gained attention for publicly supporting NewJeans amid the internal dispute between the labels.
In October last year, the group announced an online fundraiser to “take legal action against malicious posts targeting NewJeans.” The campaign surpassed ₩50 million (approx. USD 36,000) within just eight hours but soon became controversial for potential violations of Korea’s fundraising laws.
Under the Donation Act, any individual or organization planning to raise more than ₩10 million must register with the local authorities beforehand. Failure to do so may result in up to three years of imprisonment or fines of up to ₩30 million. After a citizen complaint was filed through the government’s online portal, the Seoul Metropolitan Government confirmed that the fundraiser had not been officially registered.
As a result, the collected funds remain frozen while the investigation continues. In such cases, authorities restrict fund withdrawals to preserve evidence, and any unused amount must be returned to donors depending on the final ruling.
Team Bunnies gained significant online traction last year for their strong activism, describing themselves as “a group of professionals across various fields who support NewJeans.” They publicly encouraged members of the National Assembly to call in HYBE officials for questioning and distributed comparative data between ADOR’s and BELIFT LAB’s artist planning materials — a move that sparked heated debate online.
However, NewJeans’ general fandom, Bunnies, later released a statement clarifying that “Team Bunnies does not represent the views of the entire fandom.”
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