Team Bunnies’ fundraiser representative revealed to be a minor: report

The representative of Team Bunnies, a segment of the NewJeans fandom under investigation for illegal fundraising in support of the group, has been revealed to be a minor, local media reported Tuesday.

According to Chosun Biz, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office determined that Team Bunnies’ online campaign on Oct. 21, 2024, which raised more than 50 million won ($35,000), was an unregistered fundraiser in violation of the Donations Solicitation Act.

However, since the person behind the fundraiser is a minor, the prosecution referred the case to the Seoul Family Court’s Juvenile Division, instead of pursuing criminal charges. The case will proceed as a juvenile protection matter, where the court will review the accused’s intent, conduct and potential for rehabilitation.

The controversy stems from the public fundraiser launched by Team Bunnies through social media to finance legal action against malicious online posts targeting NewJeans. The campaign raised more than 50 million won in just eight hours, far exceeding the legal threshold for unregistered donations.

An investigation was launched after a citizen complaint filed through the national petition platform led the Seoul Metropolitan Government to confirm that the fundraiser had not been registered.

Under South Korean law, any individual or organization collecting more than 10 million won in public donations must register with authorities in advance. Failure to do so can lead to up to three years in prison or fines of 30 million won.

Team Bunnies rose to prominence during the height of tensions between NewJeans’ management label Ador and its parent company Hybe. The group quickly positioned itself as one of NewJeans’ most vocal supporters throughout the dispute.

The group also organized large-scale support campaigns for NewJeans, including public advertisements and promotional events. However, the group later faced growing criticism over the transparency of its financial activities — concerns have been raised about the intent and use of the collected funds.

Despite the controversies, Team Bunnies has described itself as a collective of professionals from various fields, such as law, media, finance, culture and the arts, united by their support for NewJeans.

Authorities said the raised funds remain frozen and may be returned to donors depending on the outcome of the legal process.