Doubts raised about ADOR's official position, HYBE responds, CEO denies takeover plan, audit initiated.
April/23/2024 19:04Related Groups & Members
Yesterday, doubts were raised about the official position announced by ADOR. According to Korean media, HYBE replied via email to Min Hee-jin's allegations regarding the "NewJeans copy (imitation) suspicion" of BELIFT LAB's group ILLIT around 10 a.m. on the 22nd. The content of the email was confirmed to be six pages long, and it was confirmed that she received the relevant document by email. The timing of HYBE's response was one day earlier than the deadline set by Min Hee-jin (23rd). Despite receiving a response, Min Hee-jin still released a statement in the afternoon of the 22nd, claiming the "ILLIT's NewJeans copy suspicion" and explaining that "HYBE and BELIFT LAB have been reluctant to admit their mistakes and make excuses, dragging out the time." However, this was not true, as HYBE had already replied to her allegations as being untrue on the morning of the 22nd. Additionally, on April 22nd, HYBE demanded a shareholders' meeting for ADOR's directors and sent a resignation request to Min Hee-jin. HYBE's audit team reportedly became aware of Min Hee-jin's recent attempt to pressure HYBE by partnering with one of ADOR's management to sell HYBE's shares in ADOR (80%) to a private equity fund (PEF). The audit team of HYBE also prepared to establish an independent corporation to take out the members of NewJeans in case Min Hee-jin's pressure strategy to sell to private equity did not work. There were also suspicions that Min Hee-jin was preparing a strategy to shift the huge penalty risk of NewJeans, which had been less than two years since its debut, to HYBE by terminating the contract between NewJeans and ADOR. In response, Min Hee-jin released an official statement on the 22nd, claiming that she had never tried to take over the management rights of ADOR. She showed a position that she was under retaliatory counterattacks from HYBE, which began with internal whistleblowing such as raising suspicions of NewJeans copying by ILLIT. As the discussion spread, HYBE's CEO Park Ji-won stated, "This case has made it clear that there was a plan to take over the company, and we will start an audit to confirm and correct this. If the contents that have already been confirmed to some extent internally and externally are further clarified through this audit, the company will take clear measures against responsible parties," and commented, "I hope that the staff will not be too distracted by the current reports. Currently, the responsible parties are not properly responding to the company's legitimate audit and are refusing to answer, and what they are claiming is mostly not true or baseless."
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Minju from ILLIT has graduated from her role as MC of KBS 2TV's Music Bank after 1 year and 3 months. She expressed gratitude for the experience and support received, promising to continue her activities with ILLIT. The group will embark on their first live tour in March 2024, covering multiple cities in Korea and abroad.
On the afternoon of the 30th, ILLIT departed through Incheon International Airport after completing their overseas schedule. They will appear in a JACQUEMUS fashion show showcasing elegant red outfits. Additionally, details for their first live tour, 'ILLIT LIVE 'PRESS START︎❤',' have been announced, featuring 11 performances across 5 cities starting June 13.
ILLIT's inaugural live tour 'PRESS START❤' kicks off in Seoul on March 14-15, 2026, and visits five cities in Japan from June 13, including Aichi, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hyogo, and Tokyo, before concluding in Hong Kong on August 22. This tour marks their first solo performances in several cities, following a successful fan concert in Japan last year.
ILLIT showcased their presence at Paris Fashion Week by participating in the JACQUEMUS F/W Le Palmier collection show. They were the first K-POP group invited, wearing red outfits chosen by designer Simon Porte Jacquemus. Their popularity continues with their single 'NOT CUTE ANYMORE' ranking on Spotify's global chart for 8 weeks.
On the morning of the 24th, ILLIT members Minju, Yuna, and Wonhee left Incheon International Airport for Paris Fashion Week. They also announced their first live tour, which will include 11 performances across 5 cities in Japan. Additionally, ILLIT achieved 1st place on 'Music Core,' expressing their excitement and desire to become a group that fans look forward to.
ILLIT's first live tour 'ILLIT LIVE 'PRESS START❤'' is set to begin with performances in Seoul on March 14-15, followed by five cities in Japan from June 13, and concluding in Hong Kong on August 22. The tour promises to showcase the group's growth and creativity, building on the success of their previous concerts.
ILLIT has added a trophy to their collection, winning first place on MBC's 'Show Music Core' with their song 'NOT CUTE ANYMORE'. This marks their third win on music shows. They expressed gratitude to fans for their support, which helped them achieve this milestone. The song continues to rise in the charts, recently reaching 13th place after a month-long hiatus from music shows.
On the afternoon of the 15th, ILLIT attended the opening event for the flagship store of the high jewelry brand 'Damiani' in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. They also released the music video for their second digital single 'Sunday Morning,' featuring a cute and lively melody, and kicked off the event with a dance relay involving Korean and Japanese artists, along with a kendama challenge. The NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen continues to feature exciting performances this year.
ILLIT's track 'Billyeoon Goyangi (Do the Dance)' from their 3rd mini-album 'bomb' has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. The song captures the excitement of a first date and features unique lyrics and sharp choreography, becoming a hit among teens. It has received international acclaim and contributes to ILLIT's total of over 2.3 billion streams. Their latest digital single 'Sunday Morning' is also gaining popularity, serving as the opening theme for a TV anime.
