ILLIT’s agency files lawsuit against NewJeans fandom “Team Bunnies”

Belift Lab, a HYBE subsidiary and the agency of the group ILLIT, has filed a lawsuit seeking damages amounting to 100 million won (about 67,800 USD) against the operator of “Team Bunnies,” a fandom group associated with NewJeans.

According to legal sources on the 15th, Belift Lab filed a civil lawsuit on the 11th with the Seoul Western District Court, seeking 100 million won in damages against an unidentified individual known to be a minor who operates Team Bunnies, as well as the operator’s parents, who are deemed to have a duty of supervision.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendant posted various false claims, including allegations that ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans, thereby damaging the reputations of both ILLIT and Belift Lab. The company is seeking compensation for business losses it claims resulted from these actions. The case has not yet been assigned to a judge.

Team Bunnies is a NewJeans fandom group that has been active mainly on X (formerly Twitter). When it began its activities in September last year, the group introduced itself as “a team made up of Bunnies who are actively working in various fields such as law, media, finance, culture, and the arts,” presenting itself as more than a typical fan community.

In November last year, Team Bunnies filed a criminal complaint against Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae Ho after he stated in a media interview that the planning concepts for ILLIT and NewJeans were “completely different.” 

At the time, Team Bunnies said, “Despite clearly informing them that we possess the full planning proposal and recordings, we express deep regret over the Belift Lab management’s attitude of shifting blame instead of acknowledging wrongdoing.” 

However, in a recent lawsuit filed by NewJeans members seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contracts with ADOR, the court ruled that it was difficult to conclude that ILLIT had copied NewJeans’ concept.

Team Bunnies also raised more than 50 million won online, claiming it would file complaints against malicious posts targeting NewJeans. 

During this process, it was revealed that the group had failed to complete the required registration procedures with the relevant authorities, leading to accusations of violating the Act on the Collection and Use of Donations. The operator who appeared for police questioning at the time was identified as a minor, referred to as A.

On the 12th of last month, Team Bunnies stated, “Team Bunnies was a one-person organization operated by a single minor member,” and added, “We sincerely apologize for the many shortcomings that arose from the immature nature of a single-operator system.”

On the 17th of last month, Team Bunnies further announced, “We were investigated by Jongam Police Station in Seoul and Hwaseong West Police Station on charges of violating the Donations Act. Afterward, the Seoul Family Court acknowledged the ‘good purpose of use’ and the ‘appropriateness of usage details,’ and the case was concluded in early September with Protective Measure No. 1.”

Protective Measure No. 1 in juvenile protection proceedings is the lowest level of disposition and involves placing the juvenile under the supervision of a guardian or a person capable of acting in the guardian’s stead.