ILLIT’s Company Denies Copying NewJeans, Calls Similarities Common In K-Pop Industry
The company says that such similarities are very common and coincidental in the K-pop industry.
The third hearing for BELIFT LAB’s damages lawsuit filed against NewJeans’ former CEO Min Hee Jin was held today. Min Hee Jin has accused BELIFT’s girl group ILLIT of copying NewJeans’ concept and sound. These claims were refuted by the company in previous trials, as they argued that they were false and contradictory. Read on to know what happened in the latest hearing of the case.
BELIFT Refutes Claims Of ILLIT Plagiarising NewJeans
In the third hearing held today, BELIFT again refuted Min Hee Jin’s accusations made against them. In ILLIT’s defence, the company says that comparisons between NewJeans and their girl group cannot be made. If Hee Jin thinks that ILLIT copied NewJeans, then NewJeans themselves are a copy of G-Friend.
They further went on to list how much of NewJeans’ content looks like it has been inspired by G-Friend. They pointed to techniques and concepts such as the transition from 16:9 high-definition to 4:3 low-quality video formats, wide-angle shots of girls running and crossing bridges, and music videos themed around school uniforms. The company also pointed out how these things were done 5-6 years ago, before NewJeans had debuted.
BELIFT went on to state that similarities in the K-pop industry are very common, and someone like Min Hee Jin, who has been working in the industry for so long, should be aware of it. Many of the similarities are often coincidental and not intentional.
Also Read: NewJeans’ Reps To Present Plagiarism Evidence Against ILLIT In Lawsuit Hearing Today
Min Hee Jin’s side then argued how they do not see this lawsuit as a plagiarism or copyright infringement case, but rather as defamation and business obstruction. Min’s legal representatives argued that the plagiarism controversy was not initiated by them but rather raised by the public, media, and industry insiders shortly after ILLIT’s debut.
First Published: July 18, 2025 6:32 PM
