Min Hee-jin vs. BELIFT LAB: Court to Rule in ILLIT-NewJeans Damages Lawsuit

A Seoul court is set to deliver its first-instance ruling in a damages lawsuit stemming from allegations that K-POP girl group ILLIT copied NewJeans. The case involves BELIFT LAB, ILLIT's agency, and Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR.

The Seoul Western District Court's Civil Division 12 is scheduled to deliver its ruling at 5 p.m. KST on Nov. 13. BELIFT LAB is seeking approximately $1.4 million (2 billion won) in damages from Min. She has also filed a countersuit seeking approximately $3.5 million (5 billion won).

The dispute began in April 2024, when Min publicly accused ILLIT of copying NewJeans. Min, who was then CEO of ADOR, claimed that ILLIT had imitated NewJeans' concept, choreography and debut strategy.

BELIFT LAB rejected the allegations, saying they were false and had damaged the reputation of both the company and its artists.

In court, BELIFT LAB argued that Min spread baseless copying allegations that harmed ILLIT's activities. Min's legal team maintained that similarities between the two groups had already been discussed online and that she had raised legitimate concerns to protect NewJeans' interests and creative integrity.

Min also argued that BELIFT LAB's response had damaged her reputation and financial interests, leading her to file a countersuit.

A related criminal case is also underway. On Oct. 1, Seoul's Yongsan Police Station referred Min and two former ADOR vice presidents to prosecutors on suspicion of obstruction of business and defamation under South Korea's Information and Communications Network Act.

Police suspect that the three spread false copying allegations that interfered with BELIFT LAB's business and damaged its reputation.

Min's side disputed the police decision, saying that a referral does not amount to an indictment or a guilty verdict. Her representatives also argued that the decision conflicted with earlier police findings and related civil court rulings.

The copying allegations have also been examined in other civil cases. In October 2025, a court ruling on the validity of NewJeans' exclusive contracts found insufficient evidence to conclude that ILLIT had copied NewJeans' concept.

In February 2026, a separate court handling Min's share-purchase payment dispute with HYBE treated her copying allegations as expressions of opinion or value judgments. It found that raising those concerns did not constitute a serious breach of the shareholders' agreement.

Those cases dealt with different legal questions. In the latest lawsuit, the court is expected to determine whether Min's statements give rise to liability for damages and whether the losses claimed by the parties can be established.