ILLIT’s agency refutes plagiarism claims, "If ILLIT is a copy of NewJeans, then NewJeans is just a copy of GFriend"

On July 18, during the third hearing of the 2.5 billion KRW (approximately $1.9 million) damages lawsuit filed by BELIFT LAB against former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, ILLIT's agency strongly rejected claims that their girl group had copied NewJeans. They argued that Min's accusations were contradictory and lacked consistency.

The hearing, held at the Seoul Western District Court's 12th Civil Division, featured ILLIT’s legal representatives presenting materials that highlighted similarities between NewJeans and the earlier girl group GFriend (Girlfriend). They pointed to techniques and concepts such as the transition from 16:9 high-definition to 4:3 low-quality video formats, wide-angle shots of girls running and crossing bridges, and music videos themed around school uniforms. According to the agency, all of these were used by GFriend five to six years before NewJeans debuted.

The agency also submitted examples of advertisements and photoshoots that mirrored GFriend's previous content. These included group photos in white outfits with dreamlike atmospheres, hanbok-themed concept photos that Min Hee Jin had previously described as unique to NewJeans, and visual compositions shot in front of red structures with the sea and sky in the background. ILLIT’s representatives emphasized that these stylistic choices were not exclusive to NewJeans and had been seen earlier in GFriend’s promotional material.

"Just as NewJeans is not considered a copy of GFriend, ILLIT should not be called a copy of NewJeans simply because of a few overlapping elements," said ILLIT’s agency. "Someone with as much experience in the entertainment industry as Min Hee Jin should understand that these similarities are often coincidental and not evidence of deliberate copying."

In April 2023, Min Hee Jin held a press conference where she disclosed internal conflicts with HYBE executives including Chairman Bang Si Hyuk. She claimed that HYBE delayed the promotion of NewJeans and prioritized the debut of LE SSERAFIM. She also accused ILLIT of imitating NewJeans’ concept.

In response, SOURCE MUSIC, the agency behind LE SSERAFIM, filed a defamation lawsuit against Min seeking 500 million KRW (about $359,300) in damages. BELIFT LAB, the agency representing ILLIT, also filed a separate 2 billion KRW (approximately $1.44 million) lawsuit citing reputational damage caused by Min's statements.

During the hearing, ILLIT’s side addressed Min’s specific claims that promotional methods such as the use of a COEX outdoor screen, selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower, and group poses were imitations of NewJeans. 

They argued that if such reasoning were applied consistently, even NewJeans’ content could be seen as derivative. "We are not saying NewJeans copied anyone else," said the agency. "We are simply pointing out that by Min Hee Jin’s own logic, NewJeans could also be viewed as copying earlier idols."

The ongoing legal dispute continues to spark widespread discussion in the K-pop industry regarding originality, inspiration, and ownership of creative expression.