Min Hee-jin referred to prosecution over ILLIT plagiarism claims

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR, has been referred to the prosecution by the Seoul Yongsan Police Station on charges of business obstruction and defamation. The police determined that Min disseminated false information with the intent to slander HYBE and its subsidiary, Belift Lab, by claiming that the girl group ILLIT plagiarized the group NewJeans.

The controversy stems from a press conference held by Min in April 2024, where she alleged that ILLIT copied NewJeans’ audition posters, hanbok pictorial concepts, debut methods, and choreography. In response, Belift Lab filed a complaint, citing the harm caused to their artists and staff by what they termed indiscriminate speculation.

Two former ADOR vice presidents were also referred to the prosecution for their roles in issuing official statements regarding the plagiarism allegations.

Min’s legal representatives have contested the decision, arguing that the police's findings contradict previous civil court rulings. Past judicial decisions noted that while some similarities existed between the groups, there was insufficient evidence to prove that ILLIT had copied NewJeans' concepts, and that such concepts were difficult to protect under intellectual property laws.