NewJeans, Liam Payne, & fame | Meet the global pop stars battling for worker status and protection against 'exploitation'

In 2023, K-pop girl band NewJeans achieved a level of stardom that few ever reach.

The group were the eighth best-selling artist worldwide that year, making the top ten alongside Taylor Swift, Drake, and fellow K-pop groups Seventeen and Stray Kids.

This year, adoration from tens of millions of devoted fans across the world has continued to swell. But just as it has for so many who have been before, pop stardom comes at a price. 2024 has also been a hugely taxing year for members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.

Aged between just 16 and 20 years old, the five performers have been shadowed by an ongoing dispute with their record label over allegations of workplace harassment, exploitation, and bullying.