Min Hee-jin: The Controversy Surrounding ILLIT and NewJeans

On April 22 in the afternoon, reports stated that HYBE had sent a letter to ADOR, the agency of NewJeans, requesting CEO Min Hee-jin’s resignation. This was a result of HYBE’s investigation into Min Hee-jin and another executive from ADOR.

HYBE has launched an investigation into ADOR following allegations that one of its executives leaked confidential documents and trade secrets essential for ADOR’s autonomy from HYBE.

Due to her actions, Min Hee-jin has faced accusations of being “ungrateful” and has received harsh backlash from netizens.

Despite continuous accusations, ADOR has issued an official statement clarifying the company’s stance under the leadership of CEO Min Hee-jin. The statement also addressed allegations that ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans, resulting in a breakdown of trust.

The complete ADOR statement can be seen below:

“Hello, this is ADOR Co., Ltd.”

ADOR has released a public statement addressing the ‘ILLIT – NewJeans copy incident’ in order to safeguard our artist, NewJeans, and contribute to the positive growth of the Korean music industry and culture.

HYBE utilizes a multi-label approach in order to promote cultural diversity, granting different labels the autonomy to produce their own music. ADOR is among the labels under HYBE. Despite this, HYBE’s actions have ironically caused significant harm to the cultural contributions of ADOR and their affiliated artist NewJeans.

In March of this year, ILLIT, a 5-member girl group under one of HYBE’s labels, Belift Lab, made their debut. The release of teaser photos sparked a massive online response, with many mistakenly believing the group to be NewJeans. ILLIT has been accused of imitating NewJeans in all aspects of their entertainment activities, from their hair and makeup to their costumes, choreography, photos, videos, and event appearances. They have been labeled as ‘Min Hee-jin’s style,’ ‘Min Hee-jin’s genre,’ and ‘NewJeans’ imitator.’

After ILLIT’s debut album was produced by Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, it became clear that the NewJeans copy was not solely the work of Belift Lab label but also involved HYBE. Despite being a leading K-pop company, HYBE’s actions of blindly copying successful cultural content for short-term gain are truly embarrassing, as they lack originality and produce banality instead of freshness.

Despite preparing for a comeback in May, NewJeans has been summoned by ILLIT, who are currently not active, using a copycat strategy. This has resulted in the appearance of imitations, damaging NewJeans’ image and dragging them into unnecessary controversies. This has caused concern and fatigue among fans and the public. While HYBE and Belift Lab may have played a role in creating this situation, the responsibility for the damage caused lies solely with ADOR and NewJeans.

Despite some reactions indicating that similarities can be drawn between ILLIT and NewJeans due to both being under HYBE, there is a misconception that ADOR and NewJeans may have condoned or accepted these similarities. This is not the case, as the multi-label system is intended to allow each label to pursue their own unique music style, rather than granting one label the right to imitate the cultural accomplishments of another. We would like to clarify any misunderstandings and reiterate the purpose of the multi-label system.

It has never been allowed or approved by ADOR for HYBE and Belift Lab to copy NewJeans. We strongly reject any connection between NewJeans and ILLIT and will not accept any promotions that falsely portray one group as the sibling of another solely because they debuted under the same label.

ADOR has formally expressed their concerns to HYBE and Belift Lab regarding the recent plagiarism incident and HYBE’s response to NewJeans. However, HYBE and Belift Lab have denied any wrongdoing and instead made excuses and delayed giving a clear explanation. In a surprising move, HYBE has announced the suspension and removal of Min Hee-jin from her role as CEO, claiming that her actions could harm ADOR’s corporate value. Reports have also emerged accusing Min Hee-jin of attempting to take over ADOR, which is absurd. It is unfathomable how defending NewJeans’ cultural achievements could be seen as damaging to ADOR’s interests or an attempt to seize control of the company.

Despite HYBE, Belift Lab, and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s belief that removing Min Hee-jin from the company will solve the issue, they have not offered any apologies or solutions. ADOR, on the other hand, remains determined and will use all means necessary to protect the cultural achievements of NewJeans and prevent further infringements. The ongoing unfair actions against ADOR and NewJeans cannot be overlooked, and ADOR firmly asserts that they will continue to take action against them.

As ILLIT activities continue to rise, HYBE and Belift Lab may attempt to downplay the situation during the debut by emphasizing only the discrepancies with NewJeans. However, as time progresses, there is a higher chance of misunderstandings arising among fans and the general public. As a result, ADOR released an official statement after thorough deliberation with NewJeans’ members and legal counsel.

We believe that our announcement will effectively address the confusion and disputes among fans and the general public regarding the ‘ILLIT – NewJeans copy incident’. Our intention is for HYBE and Belift Lab to acknowledge their errors and make positive contributions to our country’s music industry and culture going forward. This can be achieved by showing respect for the cultural achievements of others and carefully considering all aspects of their creations.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

The source can be found on Naver at the following link: //m.entertain.naver.com/now/article/003/0012506210.