The ongoing legal battle between ADOR’s former CEO Min Hee-jin and HYBE subsidiary Belift Lab continues to heat up, as the third hearing for the ₩2 billion (approximately $1.4 million USD) damages lawsuit is held today, July 18.
The Civil Agreement Division 12 of the Seoul Western District Court will host the third round of oral arguments in the case filed by Belift Lab, which claims that Min Hee-jin caused reputational damage and financial harm by accusing the agency’s girl group ILLIT of plagiarizing NewJeans’ choreography, concept, and overall aesthetic.
Originally scheduled for May, the hearing was postponed at the request of the plaintiff. During today’s session, both parties are expected to present their arguments through visual presentations (PPT), focusing on key issues such as choreography plagiarism, alleged planning document copying, and the controversial hanbok-themed concept.
In the previous hearing, Belift Lab denied all plagiarism allegations. Their legal team emphasized that similarities in choreography are common in K-pop due to repetitive moves and stylized formations. They argued that Min’s public accusations, including posting detailed comparisons and timelines, were a deliberate attempt to tarnish ILLIT’s image and disrupt their promotion.
“Choreography in girl groups often includes similar movements. Yet the defendant targeted specific moves as her own and used them to publicly attack another group. This behavior shows malicious intent,” Belift Lab’s lawyer argued.
Min Hee-jin’s legal team refuted these claims, stating that ILLIT’s similarities to NewJeans were not merely subjective opinions, but concerns also raised by the general public, the media, and even some parents of ILLIT members. “NewJeans debuted eight months before ILLIT, and plagiarism concerns began immediately following ILLIT’s debut,”they stated.
The lawsuit stems from the broader conflict between Min Hee-jin and HYBE, with Min alleging that Belift Lab copied ADOR’s original creative direction, especially in terms of visuals, choreography, and debut styling for ILLIT.
Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho previously testified at the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee in October 2023, denying all plagiarism accusations. “ILLIT did not plagiarize NewJeans. We’ve filed a civil lawsuit and are awaiting the court’s judgment,” he stated during the audit session.
As the legal battle unfolds, today’s hearing could play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative surrounding one of K-pop’s most talked-about controversies of the year.
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