“Illit Plagiarized NewJeans”: Min Hee-jin Referred to Prosecutors; Official Statement Cites “Cyberbullying”

[Sportschosun reporter Baek Ji-eun] Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has been referred to prosecutors. On the 1st, the Seoul Yongsan Police Station referred former CEO Min to prosecutors on charges of business obstruction and defamation. At a press conference in April 2024, former CEO Min claimed that girl group Illit, under HYBE subsidiary label BELIFT LAB, had copied elements of NewJeans—which she launched at ADOR—including its audition poster, hanbok pictorial concept, approach to its debut and choreography. Police concluded that although Illit had not plagiarized NewJeans, former CEO Min had made false claims with the aim of disparaging HYBE and BELIFT LAB. Police also viewed ADOR’s statement, issued three days before the press conference and saying in effect that “Illit plagiarized NewJeans,” as an act substantiating the allegations against Min and Lee and Shin, who were deputy CEOs at the time, and referred Lee and Shin to prosecutors along with her. In response, OOAK Records, which Min newly founded after leaving ADOR, said, “The issue of similarities involving Illit was first brought into public discussion through the public and the media. The police’s partial referral opinion is merely a provisional view by investigative authorities, not an indictment by prosecutors or a finding by a court, and duplicates issues already rejected in related civil litigation.” It also argued, “The same police station previously decided not to refer Min for prosecution in a case involving HYBE’s complaint, finding that her raising of concerns was a management duty based on creative ethics. Compared with that decision, the current partial referral opinion conflicts with the investigative authorities’ previous assessment and the rulings in related civil cases, raising questions about its objective validity.” Min’s side also appealed, saying, “In the damages lawsuit filed against Min by HYBE and its subsidiary labels Source Music and BELIFT LAB, they are seeking to reopen arguments even after the proceedings have concluded. This is causing long-term exhaustion and pressure for Min, who has had to defend herself alone as an individual amid the distress of insults and cyberbullying in major online communities and a giant corporation’s all-out litigation.” Meanwhile, in an injunction suit ADOR filed against NewJeans last March seeking confirmation of its status as the group’s agency, the court ruled, “It is difficult to conclude that Illit’s concept plagiarized NewJeans. It is also unclear whether NewJeans’ concept qualifies for intellectual property protection.” In the main action ADOR filed against NewJeans in October of the same year, seeking confirmation that the exclusive contract remained valid, the court also said, “Although some similarities between NewJeans and Illit can be identified in planning documents and pictorials, this is not enough to conclude that Illit copied NewJeans’ concept, and there is no evidence to establish that it did.” At the final hearing in the 2 billion won damages suit BELIFT LAB filed against former CEO Min in September, the company criticized her, saying, “She claims she merely followed public opinion calling it ‘copying,’ but Min, an industry expert with decades of experience, should not try to evade responsibility by relying on public opinion.” BELIFT LAB also submitted a transcript of a recording in which NewJeans members’ parents ask Min, “Do you really have to go this far?” The company further claimed that the parents had told them the members were worried about how Min could publicly call Illit out at a press conference over the exchange, after she asked the NewJeans members, “What do you think? Should I scold Illit?” and they answered, “Yes.” Reporter Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI. Jieun, Baek