NewJeans plagiarism trial intensifies as Min Hee-jin and ILLIT’s label BELIFT LAB face off with court PPTs over choreography, concept, and hanbok controversy.
⚖️ NewJeans Plagiarism Trial Heats Up with Courtroom PPT Presentations
The battle between Min Hee-jin and HYBE’s sub-label BELIFT LAB has reached a critical point. At the heart of the conflict?
Allegations of NewJeans plagiarism — and both sides are now using PowerPoint presentations to prove their claims in court.
🗓️ Third Court Hearing: PPT Becomes Key Weapon
On July 18, 2025, the Seoul Western District Court held the third hearing in BELIFT LAB’s ₩2 billion KRW (approx. $1.4 million USD) lawsuit against Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR.
Originally scheduled for May, the session was delayed due to a schedule change request from the plaintiff.
In a rare move, the court ordered both parties to limit their submitted arguments to 30 slides, in accordance with Civil Procedure Rule Article 69-4.
The result? A PPT-based trial showdown — highly unusual in K-pop legal history.
💃 NewJeans Plagiarism Accusation – What’s the Core Issue?
At the center of this legal storm lies one question:
Did ILLIT copy NewJeans?
🕺 Choreography Controversy
BELIFT LAB’s lawyer stated:
“Girl group choreography often includes similar movements. But the defendant claimed ownership of specific steps and used them to attack other groups. That shows malicious intent.”
In contrast, Min Hee-jin’s legal team argued:
“ILLIT debuted only 8 months after NewJeans. The public, media, and even the members’ parents raised plagiarism concerns right after ILLIT’s debut.”
👘 Concept & Hanbok Imagery Dispute
Min claims that ILLIT’s debut concept, hanbok visuals, and cinematic style closely mimic those of NewJeans —
including choreography, styling, and overall creative direction.
🧨 Whistleblower Claims Shake the Case
A former HYBE staff member made a shocking internal testimony:
“ILLIT’s creative director requested NewJeans’ planning documents from the start. They copied everything. All the materials submitted to court were originally ours.”
This statement drew global attention and became a turning point in the case.
📅 BELIFT LAB Responds with a Timeline
BELIFT LAB denied the allegations:
“ILLIT’s concept was finalized on July 21, 2023. The whistleblower’s document was sent on August 28, so there was no possible influence.”
BELIFT LAB CEO Kim Tae-ho also stated at the National Assembly in October 2024:
“We’ve filed a civil lawsuit against Min Hee-jin. The plagiarism claims are false. We will prove it with official evidence.”
🎧 Who Are the Groups Involved?
🐰 NewJeans
- Label: ADOR (HYBE)
- Debut: July 2022
- Members: 5
- Known for: Minimalist Y2K visuals, viral choreography
🌸 ILLIT
- Label: BELIFT LAB (HYBE)
- Debut: March 2025
- Members: 5
- Known for: Ethereal style, hybrid traditional-modern visuals
🔗 External and Internal References
- 🔗 HYBE Official Website
- 🔗 ADOR Label Site
- 🔗 Related Post: Why Everyone’s Talking About NewJeans Comeback
📝 Final Thoughts on the NewJeans Plagiarism Case
With NewJeans plagiarism allegations now in full swing, all eyes are on the court’s next decision.
The use of PowerPoint slides as legal evidence is turning this into one of the most unique trials in K-pop history.
The next hearing date is expected to be announced in August 2025.
Until then, K-pop fans and legal watchers alike are paying close attention to what could become a landmark case in the industry.
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