The “ILLIT plagiarism lawsuit,” which has escalated into a conflict between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and Belift Lab, is set to begin trial in January next year.
According to legal circles, the 12th Civil Division of the Seoul Western District Court has scheduled the first hearing for January 10, 2025, in the damages lawsuit filed by Belift Lab against former CEO Min Hee-jin. Notably, the amount claimed in damages by Belift Lab is 2 billion won.
Belift Lab previously filed this lawsuit in June, asserting that allegations of ILLIT plagiarizing NewJeans’ concept were unfounded. The company stated, “ILLIT’s branding strategy and concept were finalized and shared internally on July 21, 2023. The so-called ‘proposal’ that the whistleblower sent was dated August 28, 2023, making it impossible for ILLIT’s concept to have been influenced by it.”
In contrast, Min Hee-jin’s side argued during a hearing in the injunction lawsuit regarding HYBE’s voting rights at the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Sang-hoon) that “ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans.” Min’s team revealed internal HYBE whistleblower testimony claiming that ILLIT’s creative director received NewJeans’ proposal during ILLIT’s planning phase and that both proposals were identical. The whistleblower also stated, “I never imagined they would copy it outright.”
Belift Lab has also filed criminal complaints against Min Hee-jin for defamation and obstruction of business, accusing her of making unilateral false claims and causing harm. The company remarked, “Min Hee-jin sacrificed an innocent rookie group for her personal gain by claiming plagiarism. By distorting and cherry-picking information for her benefit, she not only tarnishes the cultural industry but risks stifling creative freedom. If such actions go unchecked, they will heavily impact creators’ ability to produce new works, and Min Hee-jin will also bear significant accountability.”
1. No shame
2. Ah.. Wonhee’s visuals were my type but they just became unlikable to me now. They should just disband and rebrand themselves. There is no more hope for them in Korea
3. I’m really curious about the kids telling Belift “fighting”. I wouldn’t want to encounter them in society
4. Please, I just don’t want to see them anymore. The robbery is repulsive
5. Like artists, like company
6. And people still claim that the artists are the company’s victims?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ All of them are just so shameless
7. Their part-timers have arrived to workㅋㅋㅋㅋ they’ve been waiting for this articleㅋㅋㅋㅋ
8. Min Hee-jin, NewJeans, fighting!!!
9. Where’s the shame… seriously, it’s like there’s no shame left at all… I removed every song of that group from my playlist… NewJeans, fighting
10. Wow I’m curious about how this will turn out
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