Revelations on Girl Group Report Similarities Spark Controversy
On November 11, the South Korean news platform Hankyeore unveiled allegations surrounding the documentation of two anticipated girl groups: “ILLIT”from Belift Lab and “NewJeans.”Despite a three-year separation between NewJeans’ debut and ILLIT’s upcoming plan, the reports exhibit striking parallels, raising eyebrows within the K-pop community.
Identical Templates and Designs
Both reports are noted for their strikingly similar layouts, utilizing a template that is not officially recognized as a standard across the company. Interestingly, Min Hee-jin, former Chief Brand Officer at HYBE, has previously stated that she personally designed the graphics used in the NewJeans report.
Questions of Access and Copyright
The findings suggest that Belift Lab, which oversees ILLIT, should not have access to the proprietary template originally created for NewJeans. This situation prompts speculation regarding the possibility that the NewJeans report might have unintentionally been shared with Belift Lab.
Shared Language and Key Terminology
Further compounding the controversy are the shared keywords between the two reports. Phrases such as “sense of kinship (dongjilgam)” and “sense of yearning (donggyungshim)” prominently feature in both documents, highlighting their linguistic similarities.
K-Pop Community Reaction
The revelations have ignited fervent discussions across various Korean online forums as fans express their disbelief and discontent. Here are selected reactions from community discussions:
- They basically just changed the background color and photos.
- So basically, ILLIT’s company just ripped off NewJeans…
- It’s amazing how even the line spacing was the same.
- They seriously have no shame to do something like this.
- BigHit and Belift are truly shameless.
Conclusion
This situation raises important questions about originality and creativity in the K-pop industry. As audiences demand transparency and authenticity from their favorite brands, the actions of Belift Lab and the implications of these reports will likely have lasting impacts on their public image.
Leave a Reply