Strife Arises between BELIFT LAB and Min Hee Jin Over ILLIT’s Debut

In heated news towards the end of April, Min Hee Jin, known for forming NewJeans, found herself engaged in a turmoil-induced internal conflict with HYBE. Her criticism of the company’s audit, which targeted her for alleged mismanagement, set the K-pop world ablaze. For two months, this squabble has escalated into a high-profile confrontation.

On April 25, in a striking counter, Min Hee Jin unveiled her grievances against HYBE and their sub-unit BELIFT LAB during a two-hour press address. Deeming the actions a direct attack, she boldly cast accusations of imitation onto ILLIT—HYBE’s latest venture, a budding girl group under BELIFT LAB molded from the survival show “R U Next.”

ILLIT had premiered as a promising act on March 25 with their EP “Super Real Me” and a hit track titled “Magnetic.” They immediately set records, achieving a Perfect All-Kill and outshining NewJeans by landing a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 just 25 days post-debut, with their captivating melody.

Yet, ILLIT’s triumph was tainted by claims of mimicry and unexceptional live performances, a sentiment intensified by Min Hee Jin’s open indictment of plagiarism. The resulting debacle positioned the two sister groups at opposing ends, as the community fixated on their contentious relationship.

Juxtaposing this, June 10 marked BELIFT LAB’s effort at clarification via a 27-minute video titled “Perspective on Plagiarism Accusations,” aimed to dismantle Min Hee Jin’s claims. The content offered a slew of arguments accompanied by images intended to dissipate the plagiarism narrative.

Surprisingly, the video blighted NewJeans, dragging the group into an unexpected spiral of counter plagiarism allegations. BELIFT LAB adopted an offensive stance, overshadowing their original message of ILLIT’s independent creation process.

The video was a cavalcade of comparisons between NewJeans and a roster of artists, insinuating that if NewJeans is original, should it not mean that they too borrowed inspiration from groups like BLACKPINK, BTS, ENHYPEN, among others?

The evidence presented by BELIFT LAB was not only unconvincing but also led to missteps, notably involving choreographic comparisons between NMIXX and “Ditto,” and improper parallels drawn with BLACKPINK’s debut photos, which were immediately refuted.

Deficiency was evident in BELIFT LAB’s argumentation, possibly due to their lack of adequate expertise. Attempts to tie NewJeans’ aesthetics to Min Hee Jin’s previous work with SM girl groups backfired. It became glaring that a baseless accusation video had been created.

Music industry insiders expressed dismay at BELIFT LAB’s impulsive crisis management, suggesting the accusatory tone of “if we are accused so are you” did more harm than good, complicating the controversy.

BELIFT LAB’s subsequent defamation lawsuit threat against Min Hee Jin and their pursuit to vilify NewJeans was viewed as tactless, magnifying the original dispute.

An official revealed that the response should’ve been evidenced and not based on emotional outcries; however, the lack of professionalism in the defense ultimately further diminished the company’s credibility.

Establishing plagiarism in the concept arena is a grey area, often wrapped in the subjectivity of “intellectual overlap.” BELIFT LAB’s role should prioritize the protection and skill development of their artists over engaging in disputes and not fanning the flames of controversy.

Rather than pursuing a path of rectitude, BELIFT LAB’s combative stance against Min Hee Jin and their outspoken criticism of NewJeans nearly cost them public trust in their management capabilities.

Reflecting on the matter, a notable manager in album and artist affairs, known as D, commented, “The interest in ‘pure creativity’ is strained given its rarity in current pop culture, with ‘references’ often being the basis for new ventures. This is recognized by professionals, fans, and the public alike. Originality naturally births similarities, applicable to all artists, not just the duo in question.

However, the company’s misjudgment of the public’s perception and their reactive stance “Are we plagiarists?” ignored a call for solid rebuttal. The video’s credibility faltered with the repeated mention of unrelated groups. Now, it is imperative for the company to steer clear of new controversies.”