Legal Battle Over Alleged NewJeans Copycat Claims to Begin in January

The trial concerning the alleged 'NewJeans copycat' claims against the group I-LIT, initiated by former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, is set to begin in January next year.

According to sources in the music and legal industries, the 12th Civil Division of the Seoul Western District Court will hold the first hearing on January 10th for the damages lawsuit filed by I-LIT's agency, Belif Lab, against Min Hee-jin. Belif Lab has set the claim amount at 2 billion KRW (approximately 20 million USD).

Belif Lab filed the lawsuit last June, refuting the claims that I-LIT plagiarized NewJeans' planning proposal. At the time, Belif Lab stated, "I-LIT's branding strategy and concept were finalized and internally shared on July 21, 2023. The so-called 'proposal' was sent by the informant on August 28, 2023, which is after the concept was established, making it impossible for it to have influenced I-LIT's concept."

Belif Lab further argued, "Min Hee-jin sacrificed an innocent rookie group for her personal gain. One of the pressure tactics she used against HYBE was to disparage a rookie group from the same HYBE label as a 'copycat' or 'fake.'"

Min Hee-jin publicly pointed out the similarities between NewJeans and I-LIT during an emergency press conference on April 25. She stated, "Who benefits from this? This ruins I-LIT. If this continues, everything becomes NewJeans," adding, "I'm not criticizing I-LIT. They are not at fault. The adults are the problem," as she raised plagiarism allegations.

Subsequently, during a provisional injunction hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in May, Min Hee-jin claimed, "I-LIT plagiarized NewJeans," sharing an internal employee's report. The report alleged that I-LIT's creative director received NewJeans' planning proposal during I-LIT's conceptualization phase, and that the proposals for both groups were identical.

Belif Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho criticized Min Hee-jin's allegations, stating, "If someone truly believes 'the kids did nothing wrong,' they should minimize mentioning the artists in unnecessary situations. Such claims are like pointing fingers. It's like instructing idol fans who support her to criticize and insult I-LIT. And that's what happened. It was truly malicious."

Reported by Min-Kyung Lee, TenAsia 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr