ILLIT's agency denies using NewJeans' files to create girl group

Girl group ILLIT's agency Belift Lab denied having used NewJeans' files to create its quintet in a rebuttal of claims made by Min Hee-jin's attorneys during Friday's court hearing.

Girl group ILLIT [BELIFT LAB]

Girl group ILLIT's agency Belift Lab denied having used NewJeans' files to create its quintet in a rebuttal of claims made by Min Hee-jin's attorneys during Friday's court hearing.

Min's legal representation at Shin & Kim argued on Friday that Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE, that "an insider reported that a HYBE staff requested NewJeans' blueprint from the very beginning stages of ILLIT and that the outcomes of ILLIT came as identical as that of NewJeans."

According to Belift Lab, ILLIT's branding strategies were finalized on July 21, 2023, which was before the Aug. 28, 2023 date that the whistle-blower argued as having handed over NewJeans' file to Belift Lab.

"The claim that ILLIT copied NewJeans' strategies is not true," Belift Lab said. "It couldn't have affected ILLIT's concept, taking into account the timeline."

The attorneys of Min and HYBE presented their cases to the Seoul Central District Court on Friday during a hearing on the injunction lawsuit Min filed against HYBE.

The court will accept additional data until Oct. 25 and make a ruling by the end of the month, according to the judge.

Min's term as a member of the board at ADOR is set to end on Nov. 2 without extension.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]