Belift Lab has initiated a 2 billion KRW (approximately 1.4 million USD) lawsuit against former ADOR CEO and current internal director Min Hee Jin.
The first trial for Belift Lab's damages lawsuit against Min Hee Jin took place on January 10, 2025, at the Seoul Western District Court, presided by Judge Kim Jin Young. The first hearing for Source Music’s separate 500 million KRW (339,143 USD) lawsuit against Min Hee Jin was also held consecutively. Min Hee Jin did not attend the hearing in person, and both sides were represented by their legal teams.
Belift Lab’s lawyer opened their argument by stating, "The defendant publicly targeted a rookie girl group, ILLIT, shortly after their debut, causing significant emotional distress to these young girls. This needs to be corrected."
They added, "Choreography for girl groups often involves repetitive movements with minor variations. Yet, the defendant claimed ownership of specific choreography and targeted ILLIT publicly. The defendant’s actions show malicious intent, as they promoted themselves by attacking another group. Such unlawful actions should not be repeated."
However, Min Hee Jin's attorney refuted, "The plaintiff’s argument relies on emotional rhetoric about 'targeting.' NewJeans debuted eight months before ILLIT, and after ILLIT’s debut, allegations of plagiarism arose from the public, the media, and even the members' parents."
They continued, "In response, the defendant, as ADOR's CEO at the time, sent two internal emails in an attempt to resolve the issue. However, HYBE conducted an unlawful audit, and the media scrutiny intensified. To explain the situation, the defendant held a press conference. Considering the context, the defendant’s remarks were made as part of her duty as the CEO of NewJeans’ agency to address the issue and highlight concerns regarding K-pop production practices for the public good."
When the court inquired about their plans for presenting evidence, Belift Lab’s lawyer stated, "The core issue is the similarity in choreography. Since seeing is believing, we intend to present a visual presentation at the next hearing to demonstrate that the choreographies are not similar."
In response, Min Hee Jin’s lawyer commented, "We believe the plaintiff’s lawsuit isn’t solely focused on choreography. There are other key issues." Nonetheless, both sides agreed to present their arguments through presentations at the next trial, which is scheduled for March 7.
Previously, in April 2024, Min Hee Jin claimed that ILLIT was "copying NewJeans in every aspect of entertainment activities, including hair, makeup, styling, choreography, photography, videography, and event appearances."
In response, Belift Lab countered that Min Hee Jin’s allegations, both at the time of the first accusation and now, are baseless and that the claims of ILLIT plagiarizing NewJeans' concept plans are false.
Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae Ho also denied the plagiarism accusations during his testimony at the comprehensive audit session of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee on October 24, 2024.
"It’s not true," Kim Tae Ho stated. "As the representative, I want to clarify that we have filed both civil and criminal lawsuits against Director Min Hee Jin regarding this matter. We are awaiting the court's decision. We intend to follow due legal procedures to prove in court that these claims are not factual."
He further added, "We sincerely apologize for causing public fatigue due to this series of disputes. We believe the core mission of entertainment is to bring joy to K-pop fans and the public. In that regard, we regret the situation and will work to prevent such incidents from happening again."
The conflict escalated as Min Hee Jin announced her intention to countersue Belift Lab for damages amounting to 5 billion KRW(approximately 3.4 million USD).
Min Hee Jin stated, "These claims are blatantly false. The countersuit I filed will also be reviewed during the first hearing in January next year. I hope Belift Lab will approach this matter with sincerity."
She concluded by saying, "Kim Tae Ho and others spread numerous false claims through a YouTube video released on June 10 and a statement on October 7. I hope they will face appropriate criminal penalties and be held accountable for damages."
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