In a heated legal battle, ILLIT’s agency firmly refuted allegations by Min Hee-jin, former ADOR CEO and creative director behind NewJeans, that ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans’ concept and style. The dispute is part of a broader ₩2.5 billion damages lawsuit brought by HYBE Labels against Min, with the third hearing held at the Seoul Western District Court on July 18.

During the session, ILLIT’s legal team systematically dismantled the plagiarism allegations, comparing debut strategies, aesthetics, music production methods, and choreography styles between the two groups. Min Hee-jin had previously alleged that ILLIT copied NewJeans’ music, visuals, and cultural aesthetics — including a hanbok photoshoot concept.

A Tale of Two Concepts

ILLIT emphasized a clear conceptual divergence from NewJeans. While NewJeans channels a Y2K retro mood with no defined narrative universe, ILLIT embraces fantasy-driven “princess and magical girl” themes with an expansive world-building approach. Musically, ILLIT engages multiple producers and leans into pop-oriented sounds, whereas NewJeans relies on a cohesive production team.

Regarding debut formats, ILLIT debuted through JTBC’s audition program “R U Next?”, offering extensive pre-debut exposure. Conversely, NewJeans adopted a mystique-based rollout, withholding member identities until the surprise release of their debut music video.

Debunking the Hanbok Photo Controversy

Min’s assertion that ILLIT copied NewJeans’ hanbok photoshoot was also challenged. ILLIT’s team pointed to numerous K-pop idols who have historically worn hanbok in palatial settings, questioning Min’s claim of originality. “This claim is baseless and ignores the genre’s visual traditions,” their statement noted.

Choreography Not Exclusive to NewJeans

ILLIT’s defense further addressed accusations regarding choreography. They argued that the moves in question — such as “hair whips,” “arm rolls,” and sitting poses — were widely used across K-pop, citing performances by BTS, aespa, IVE, ITZY, G-Dragon, Jennie, and others. “These motions are public domain and should not be monopolized,” the group asserted.

Newjeans Illit

They warned that allowing exclusive claims over such universal moves would set a damaging precedent for creativity and fair competition in K-pop choreography.

This case is intricately connected to Min Hee-jin’s broader conflict with HYBE. She previously accused HYBE of suppressing NewJeans’ promotion in favor of LE SSERAFIM and denounced ILLIT for copying NewJeans. In response, Source Music (LE SSERAFIM’s label) sued Min for ₩500 million, while Belift Lab (ILLIT’s label) sought ₩2 billion in damages for reputational harm.

As the legal battle continues, the K-pop industry watches closely. The outcome could influence creative boundaries, agency dynamics, and IP protections in idol branding and music production for years to come.