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On June 10, 2024, BELIFT LAB released a 27-minute-long video titled "Belift Lab’s position on plagiarism claims" (by Google Translate) on its official YouTube channel. In the video, the label answered some plagiarism accusations, previously made by ADOR CEO, Min Hee-jin.
In April 2024, Min Hee-jin accused the rookie girl group, ILLIT, of copying NewJeans' choreography and concept. ILLIT debuted in March 2024 with their EP Super Real Me under BELIFT LAB, whereas ADOR's girl group NewJeans debuted in November 2022 with their self-titled EP. Amidst Min Hee-jin's ongoing court feud with HYBE, she charged ILLIT for plagiarism.
Notably, both BELIFT LAB and ADOR are subsidiary labels under HYBE Corporations. After over a month, the former responded to the allegations by announcing a second civil lawsuit filed on June 10, 2024, against Min Hee-jin along with a YouTube video. BELIFT LAB stated how NewJeans copied BTS, BLACKPINK, IVE's Love Dive, VIVIZ' BOP BOP!, and more.
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However, the label's attempt to clear ILLIT's name of plagiarism backfired as netizens slammed them on social media and TheQoo. For the unversed, TheQoo is a Korean online forum where individuals can share their views anonymously to protect their privacy. One anonymous user wrote:
"The excuses are getting longer...It means admitting it. Incompetence and irresponsibility lead to avoidance. Everyone is not stupid."
Several others disapproved of the BELIFT LAB's video clarification and railed against them on TheQoo. A few netizens even criticized the parent company, HYBE Corporation, for letting the situation drag on for so long. It is important to note that translations from the online forum were taken from Google Translate.
"No, how can the things the company is doing be at the level of U-top Wrecka...? It's ridiculous because it seems sincere. Those McDonald's dancers danced the same choreography for just a few seconds, and many of the singers above are only briefly similar through instantaneous captures, and there are even singers who don't even have similar captures. Is that the official position?," a user wrote on TheQoo (Comment 521)
"Looks like they just scoured Googling and Pinterest for that data and told them to do whatever they want, but it's a Belift Lab class that presents that as official data hahaha," another netizen wrote (Comment 547).
"I know Belif Lab's intention, but even that ridiculous data falls far short of the New Jeans-ILLIT similarity, so I think it's ridiculous to say it," a person wrote (Comment 557).
Netizens also mentioned that the YouTube video by BELIFT LAB was supposed to address the plagiarism charges made against ILLIT. However, the label only presented comparisons of how NewJeans allegedly copied other K-pop groups such as IVE, VIVIZ, NMIXX, BTS, and BLACKPINK, among others.
"Just say you didn't copy it, you copied it too!! If you come out like this or that, who will trust you... Tell your story,"a user wrote on TheQoo (Comment 570).
"The funny thing about the video is that if it is a video that ILLIT claims did not plagiarize, it should be said that it is widely used for suspected plagiarism, but they are only beating up NewJeans. What is this?," another person mentioned (Comment 572).
"I have nothing to say other than it's ugly... I've only heard the song occasionally, but from now on, if it's HYBE, I won't listen to the song, I won't be interested, and I'll have to boycott it," a user wrote (Comment 576)
More about BELIFT LAB's second civil lawsuit against ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin
In their YouTube video uploaded on June 10, BELIFT LAB claimed that NewJeans copied BTS' 2020 performance at Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace. They claimed that NewJeans also plagiarized BLACKPINK's outfit concept from 2017 As If It's Your Last era along with ENHYPEN's Dark Moon.
The label added that NewJeans allegedly copied LE SSERAFIM's Unforgive concept for their May 2024 release, How Sweet. The label claimed that NewJeans' outfit concepts, outfits, and album vibes also matched with the K-pop group OH MY GIRL.
Previously on May 22, 2024, ILLIT's management label posted a notice on their official X account, stating that they filed a complaint against ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. The notice was posted in Korean and later translated by an X user (@zhoumara_622) via Papago translation. The declaration stated:
"We filed a complaint against CEO Min Hee-jin, who is causing damage by claiming unilateral false information against us and our artists, on charges of obstruction of business and defamation. Regarding Min's allegation of plagiarism against his company's artist ILLIT, we clarify that it is not true."
The statement continued:
"We have submitted evidence to the law enforcement agency to prove that the allegations are different from the facts, and even if it takes some time, we will sort out the disputes according to due process."
BELIFT LAB further mentioned in its notice that intellectual property plagiarism should be assessed using fair guidelines and processes rather than a single person's biased and exclusive view. However, they went on to express their disapproval of Min Hee-jin's careless conjecture and incorrect information, which were diminishing the efforts and accomplishments of BELIFT LAB's artists and members.
The label added:
"ILLIT members are suffering from a serious level of malicious comments, ridicule, and personal attacks. I sincerely ask that malicious attacks such as indiscriminate insults, malicious slander, dissemination of false information, and defamation against artists be stopped. We will do our best to protect our artists and members."
At the time of publishing this article, BELIFT LAB's YouTube video of the company's response to Min Hee-jin's accusations towards ILLIT gained 389,938 views.
