"Let's be grown": Netizens criticize BELIFT LAB for its alleged shade towards NewJeans (NJZ) in ILLIT's recent YouTube video

On Monday, April 7, BELIFT LAB released a new episode of ILLIT's variety program, the seventh episode of SUPER ILLIT. In the episode, the members were seen playing a game that required them to complete a series of tasks through the hints they found around the HYBE building. They are also asked to perform these tasks without being caught by the person dressed as the tiger mascot.

Expand Tweet

At one point, the member Minju was caught hiding by the tiger as they crossed paths in one of the hallways in the HYBE building. The caption for this clip is what led to much criticism, as many thought that it was directed toward NewJeans (NJZ). Here's what it read:

"They say you always meet your enemy in the company hallways.”

When this caption landed on the internet, netizens immediately speculated that the agency was referring to the controversy between NewJeans' Hanni and a BELIFT LAB staff member. Previously, during an emergency livestream of NewJeans that took place in September 2024, Hanni explained that she overheard a disrespectful comment by an HYBE staff member that was later revealed to be ILLIT's manager.

While BELIFT lab denied these allegations, fans and netizens expressed that the caption felt like a direct shade toward NewJeans. However, people were not happy about this caption and called out BELIFT LAB for the same.

They expressed that the caption was unnecessary and disappointing. Here are a few reactions regarding the same:

"njz has been so professional meanwhile belift is out here referring to njz as enemies... let’s be grown," a NewJeans fan wrote.

Expand Tweet

"This proves how that company never liked njz and always saw them as an enemy, cus hanni never mentioned illit, belift themselves did," said a fan.

"so when hanni discusses her experience with a group’s manager, you guys act annoyed and say things like “let it go” but when it comes to a whole label bringing this up again to shade hanni, you guys eat it up? Make it make sense……," added another fan.

"They're only proving that New Jeans were right about the hatred from the company," commented a netizen.

More fans and netizens talked about BELIFT LAB's alleged shade toward NewJeans through ILLIT's recent YouTube video.

"they indirectly spilled the truth. That Hanni was in fact not lying about the situation," stated a fan.

"Thank you illit and their team for proving that hanni in fact didn't lie, not that I ever thought she did but.." added an X user.

"This confirms that those managers really were intentionally weird with Hanni in those hallways," said a netizen.

All you need to know about the controversy between NewJeans' Hanni and ILLIT's manager

In September 2024, NewJeans kickstarted an emergency livestream under a new YouTube account. During the same, Hanni confessed about an incident that took place on the fourth floor of the HYBE building, where all artists come to get their hair and makeup done.

Expand Tweet

As she was waiting on the floor, a HYBE manager and their respective group walked passed Hanni. During the first interaction, Hanni and the other group members greeted each other. However, when the group returned, Hanni said that she heard the manager tell their group to ignore Hanni. Recalling this incident, the NewJeans member said,

"I was waiting alone in the corridor then, and another group and one of their managers passed by me. We greeted each other well then. But when the group came out again with the manager, the manager said, ‘Ignore her.’ Right in front of me. I can see and hear everything, but the manager said ‘Ignore her.’ I don’t know even now, why I had to go through that. It leaves me speechless."

Following the same, several speculations on the HYBE staff being ILLIT's manager landed on the internet. Soon after, in October 2024, BELIFT LAB released a statement explaining that the allegations were not true and that the manager never asked ILLIT to ignore NewJeans' Hanni.

They further explained that they could only trace the visual interaction through CCTV footages between Hanni, ILLIT's manager, and the group members, but the audio proof of the verbal exchange between the two parties was still unveiled. Therefore, they refuted all allegations and requested people to stay away from spreading malicious information.

Meanwhile, NewJeans members said that HYBE did not share the appropriate CCTV footage with them at the time by claiming that it was deleted.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

Know More

Edited by Niharika Dabral