Min Heejin Referred to Prosecutors for Defamation Over "ILLIT Plagiarized NewJeans" Claim... Rebuts, Questioning "Validity of Police Judgment"

Two ADOR Vice Presidents at the Time Also Referred to Prosecutors

Min Heejin, former CEO of ADOR. Yonhap News.

Former ADOR CEO Min Heejin, who has alleged that girl group ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans' concept, has been referred to the Public Prosecution Office on suspicion of defamation and obstruction of business.

According to police on October 14, Yongsan Police Station in Seoul referred Min, Lee and Shin, who were ADOR's vice presidents at the time, to prosecutors on October 1 on suspicion of defamation and obstruction of business. Min is suspected of making false allegations that ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans in order to disparage HYBE and Belift Lab.

At an emergency press conference in April 2024, Min claimed that ILLIT had copied NewJeans' audition poster and hanbok photo-shoot concept, debut approach and choreography. Belift Lab, ILLIT's agency, filed a police complaint against Min in May that year, arguing that her claims were false. A statement ADOR issued about the plagiarism allegations three days before the press conference was also included in the police investigation.

In March 2025, in a case concerning an injunction sought by ADOR to preserve its status as an agency, the court found it difficult to conclude that ILLIT had plagiarized NewJeans' concept and said it was also unclear whether NewJeans' concept was eligible for intellectual property protection.

The court reached the same conclusion in October that year in the main lawsuit seeking confirmation that the exclusive contracts were valid. It found some similarities between the two groups' proposals and photo shoots, but said there was insufficient evidence to establish that ILLIT had copied NewJeans' concept.

OK Records, founded by Min, issued a statement on October 14 saying, "The issue of similarities involving ILLIT had already been brought into the public discourse through the public and the media." It said the circumstances surrounding HYBE's response at the time had led Min to hold the press conference.

OK Records also cited an earlier police decision not to refer a case to prosecutors as grounds for disputing the latest referral. It said Yongsan Police Station had previously declined to refer a case stemming from HYBE's complaint of occupational breach of trust, viewing Min's raising of the plagiarism issue as "an executive's duty grounded in creative ethics," but had reached a different conclusion this time.

A dispute is also continuing over damages lawsuits filed against Min by labels under HYBE. According to OK Records, Belift Lab filed a motion to reopen oral arguments on October 12 in a damages lawsuit in which arguments had concluded after about two years and four months of hearings. The court had initially set November 13 as the date for its ruling. Source Music has also requested that oral arguments be reopened in a separate damages lawsuit, but the court has yet to issue a decision.

OK Records criticized the successive requests to reopen oral arguments as "delaying tactics." It said Belift Lab was bringing into Min's trial not only the police recommendation to refer the case to prosecutors, but also details of a separate lawsuit and criminal investigation involving A, a former operator of the NewJeans fan community "Team Bunnies," and A's parents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.