Are ILLIT just a "copy group" to NewJeans? Fuel for Min Hee-jin's HYBE fallout? Or simply disrespectful juniors? The legal showdown between the two sides is heating up — and it's not just a PR war anymore. It's in the courtroom.

HYBE and Min Hee-jin are currently locked in a civil lawsuit, with the third hearing held at Seoul Western District Court. At the center of it all? Plagiarism.

ILLIT's label, BELIFT LAB, came to court swinging — dismissing Min's accusations as what they dubbed a "Min Hee-jin owns everything" theory. If Min's logic holds, they argued, then even NewJeans copied past idols.

🎭 "Min Hee-jin Created the World?"

Min has repeatedly claimed that ILLIT copied everything — from NewJeans' debut style, visuals, and choreography to even their hair and makeup styling.

But BELIFT pushed back, calling it an exaggerated view. "If Min Hee-jin is to be believed, she practically created the entire K-pop universe," they said. "She's treating everything like her personal IP."

They also questioned the legitimacy of her claims, pointing out that she based her plagiarism arguments largely on subjective feelings and screenshots circulating on online forums.

"She's labeling ILLIT's work as copied based on 1–2 second video snippets and gut feelings — as if copyright infringement is a mood," said the label.

📸 "NewJeans Did It First?"

BELIFT further challenged Min's accusations by presenting examples of similar styling used before NewJeans. From school uniforms and hanbok photoshoots to videos filmed in palaces — they cited girl groups like GFRIEND as precedents.

"If taking photos in front of the Eiffel Tower is copying, then is NewJeans not also guilty?" BELIFT asked. They emphasized that aesthetic elements like photo color tones or ad placements are not exclusive IP.

They also refuted Min's hanbok claim: "Hanbok styling in palace backdrops existed long before NewJeans. Yet Min talks as if she was the first."

📢 "It's Plagiarism When It's ILLIT — But Not When It's NewJeans?"

BELIFT also called out Min's alleged double standard. When NewJeans' song Bubble Gum faced accusations of copying a British band, Min dismissed it as "a commonly used melodic line." Yet when ILLIT faced similar claims, she was swift and strong in condemnation.

BELIFT stated, "If ILLIT were truly just a copy, they wouldn't be setting global records. Her statement is defamatory and factually wrong."

🧾 Min's Defense: "It Was a Whistleblower Move"

Min's camp countered that she raised the issue only after netizens first pointed it out — submitting online comments and insider reports as part of her evidence.

They argued that Min was retaliated against by HYBE with internal audits and public pressure. "She didn't start this fight," they said. "Her plagiarism remarks were a form of self-defense."

The battle traces back to April 2024, when Min publicly claimed ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans. BELIFT later filed a ₩2 billion (~$1.5M) defamation lawsuit. The next hearing is scheduled for October 31 at 4 PM KST.