The latest escalation in the power struggle between HYBE and Min Hee-jin , the CEO of its subsidiary label ADOR, has arrived in the form of legal action from a separate label under the Korean conglomerate. In a statement released Wednesday (May 22) local time in Seoul, HYBE label BELIFT LAB announced it is taking legal action against Min for defamation over her claims that the BELIFT team behind girl group ILLIT plagiarized her and ADOR’s work with NewJeans . The label is accusing Min of “obstruction of business and defamation,” according to the statement.
The news is just the latest development in a saga that has seen HYBE file a police report accusing Min of a “breach of trust” via an alleged plan to take over management control of ADOR, which was followed by an emotionally charged press conference on April 25 during which Min refuted the allegations. One of Min’s most widely discussed claims from the press conference was that BELIFT LAB “copied all the formulas that we had with NewJeans” for the recently launched ILLIT , including musical concept, fashion collaborations and more. As reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily , Min said the members of ILLIT are “innocent” and “it’s the adults that have sinned.
” Since that claim, online fighting between fans and social-media users on both sides of the conflict has brought various claims against multiple parties within the HYBE LABELS system, from artists to executives. Further in its May 22 statement, BEL.
