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Belift Lab, the agency of idol group ILLIT, has initiated a 2 billion won lawsuit for damages against former ADOR CEO Min HeeJin, stirring another wave in the K-POP industry. At the heart of this case lies the plagiarism allegations against ILLIT concerning NewJeans, drawing attention to the case’s outcome.
The Seoul Western District Court is scheduled to hold the first trial between Belift Lab and former CEO Min HeeJin on January 10 next year. Belift Lab has stated that this lawsuit stems from HYBE’s accusation against Min for breach of duty, filed last April, and has strongly refuted Min’s claims.
Min HeeJin labeled ILLIT as a “copycat of NewJeans,” openly criticizing them for imitating NewJeans in hair, makeup, costumes, and choreography. In response, Belift Lab has denied these plagiarism accusations, suing Min for obstruction of business and defamation. Furthermore, they proceeded with a damages lawsuit in June.
In the injunction hearing held in October, a whistleblower from within HYBE reignited the controversy. Min’s side claimed that ILLIT’s creative director requested NewJeans’ planning proposal, asserting that the whistleblower’s report supports these claims. However, Belift Lab countered that ILLIT’s branding strategy had already been finalized in July, with the whistleblower providing information afterward, denying the plagiarism allegations.
As both sides present strong arguments, the court’s decision is highly anticipated. This case prompts a reevaluation of the boundaries between creation and imitation in the K-POP industry, with attention focused on the potential impact of the forthcoming verdict.
This article has been written by Kpopmap AI writer and while we have made efforts to ensure the accuracy of the article, there may be errors or inaccuracies.
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