BELIFT LAB and Min Hee Jin Clash Again in Court Over ILLIT-NewJeans Copying Claims

The legal battle between former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and BELIFT LAB intensified once again over the intent behind remarks claiming that ILLIT copied NewJeans.

On May 15, the 12th Civil Agreement Division of the Seoul Western District Court held the sixth hearing in BELIFT LAB’s damages lawsuit against Min. The court announced that it plans to conclude the trial after two additional hearings.

During the proceedings, Min’s legal team argued, “The remarks were not made to express an opinion or engage in media play. They came out while she was emotionally speaking amid what she described as a witch hunt created by the management takeover frame.”

BELIFT LAB, however, countered, “The essence of this case is that the defendant sought personal gain and pressured the parent company in an attempt to take NewJeans away.” The label claimed that Min intentionally damaged the reputations of HYBE and ILLIT for her own interests.

BELIFT LAB further stated, “The defendant is an expert who knows the K-pop industry better than anyone. She would have fully understood what would happen when she used the word ‘copied.’” The company added, “Like a lion in the Serengeti searching for deer and rabbits, she spent a long time looking for a target within HYBE Labels, and the result was ILLIT.”

The label also stressed that Min’s comments constituted “a massive act of harm against fragile young girls,” referring to ILLIT members, and claimed KakaoTalk messages revealed evidence of plans to manipulate public opinion in advance.

Min’s side refuted the accusations, saying, “The comments were made during a five-minute response at the press conference and were not premeditated.” They added, “It was the only way for her to defend herself in an extremely desperate and difficult situation, as well as an exercise of her right to defend against a witch hunt.”

Her legal representatives also reiterated that opinions claiming ILLIT was imitating NewJeans had already been widely discussed among the media and industry experts before Min’s remarks.

The court noted the sharp conflict between both sides and the vast amount of indirect evidence involved, urging a faster pace in the proceedings.

“The positions of both parties are completely opposed, and there are too many indirect facts. If we examine each one individually, there will be no end,” the court stated. “We will conclude the arguments appropriately at a suitable time.”

The court ordered both sides to submit comprehensive briefs outlining the essential facts and issues requiring judgment. The next hearing is scheduled for July 10.

The lawsuit stems from an emergency press conference held by Min in April 2024, where she claimed that ILLIT had been described as having a “Min Hee Jin style,” being “Min Hee Jin-esque,” and “an imitation of NewJeans,” implying that the group copied NewJeans.

BELIFT LAB responded at the time by saying, “Min Hee Jin used an innocent rookie group as a scapegoat for her own private interests.” The company subsequently filed a 2 billion KRW (approx. 1.3 million USD) damages lawsuit against Min, alleging severe financial losses caused by her remarks, and also filed criminal complaints against her for obstruction of business and defamation.