Min Hee-jin and BELIFT LAB are in a legal dispute over claims of copying NewJeans, with both sides presenting conflicting arguments.
May/15/2026 19:08Related Groups & Members
Min Hee-jin and BELIFT LAB have once again clashed over the intention behind the 'copying NewJeans' statement. Today (15th), the 12th Civil Division of the Western District Court of Seoul held the 6th hearing date for the damages lawsuit filed by BELIFT LAB against Min Hee-jin. The court has indicated that it will conclude the hearings after two more sessions. On this day, Min Hee-jin's side explained that 'the statement made was not for expressing intent or media play, but came out during the process of revealing her painful feelings while being treated unfairly within the framework of a power grab.' BELIFT LAB argued that 'the essence of this case is that the defendant pursued personal interests and pressured the company to take NewJeans,' claiming that Min Hee-jin harmed the reputations of HYBE and ILLIT for personal gain. Furthermore, they stated, 'As an expert who knows the K-POP industry better than anyone, the defendant must have been fully aware of the consequences when she made the statement of 'copying.' Like a lion in the savannah targeting its prey, she had been searching for a target at HYBE for a long time, and the result was ILLIT.' They also claimed that 'the defendant's statement was a significant act of harm against ILLIT,' emphasizing that multiple public opinion surveys conducted beforehand have clearly revealed the situation through KakaoTalk and other means. Min Hee-jin's side countered that 'it was merely a five-minute statement made during a Q&A session at a press conference, not planned. It was the only means to argue in a truly urgent and painful situation and an exercise of the right to defend against unfair treatment.' They reiterated that the claim that ILLIT was imitating NewJeans was already a widely formed public opinion among media and experts. The court noted that the conflict between both sides has intensified and that there are numerous indirect facts, calling for a swift progression. The court stated, 'Both sides' positions are in conflict, and there are too many indirect facts to start examining each one,' and 'we will appropriately conclude the arguments at the right time.' The court ordered both parties to submit comprehensive preparatory documents including necessary facts and judgments, with the next hearing date confirmed for July 10. This lawsuit originated from Min Hee-jin's emergency press conference in April 2024, where she stated that ILLIT, belonging to BELIFT LAB, was evaluated as 'Min Hee-jin style,' 'Min Hee-jin flow,' and 'a derivative of NewJeans,' implying that they copied NewJeans. BELIFT LAB claimed that 'Min Hee-jin sacrificed a rookie group for her own benefit' and filed a damages lawsuit for 2 billion won (about 2 million USD), alleging business interference and defamation against Min Hee-jin. ILLIT's agency also filed a 100 million won damages lawsuit against NewJeans' fan community, stating that the operator is a minor. BELIFT LAB refuted the plagiarism allegations against ILLIT in the lawsuit with Min Hee-jin, claiming that the choreography and costumes are conceptually different from NewJeans.
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