Min Hee-jin Referred to Prosecutors Over "ILLIT Copied NewJeans" Claim

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR and current CEO of OOAK Records, has been referred to prosecutors on charges of defamation and obstruction of business over her allegations that ILLIT copied NewJeans. Two former ADOR vice presidents were referred on over the same charges.

Seoul's Yongsan Police Station referred Min and the two former vice presidents, identified only by their surnames Lee and Shin, on Oct. 1. The referral came one day before South Korea's new prosecution service took over prosecutorial duties.

The case stems from allegations Min raised in April 2024. At a press conference, she cited ILLIT's audition poster, a hanbok photo shoot, its debut rollout and choreography as examples of what she called copying of NewJeans. ADOR had raised similar concerns in a statement released three days earlier.

ILLIT's agency, BELIFT LAB, rejected the allegations and filed a police complaint against Min the following month. The company said her claims were false and had harmed the agency and its artists. Police also examined ADOR's earlier statement as part of the case involving Lee and Shin.

The alleged similarities between the groups were also addressed in separate court proceedings concerning NewJeans' contract with ADOR. In a March 2025 injunction case concerning the members' independent activities, the court found insufficient grounds to conclude that ILLIT had copied NewJeans. In a ruling issued in October on the validity of the members' contracts, the court acknowledged some similarities in planning materials and photo shoots but found insufficient evidence that ILLIT had replicated NewJeans' concept.