On November 15 KST, Kim Tae Ho, CEO of BeLift Lab, addressed ongoing plagiarism allegations involving girl group ILLIT in an interview with OSEN. The controversy centers on accusations that ILLIT plagiarized concepts and production files from fellow HYBE group NewJeans, a matter that has escalated to legal proceedings.

Background of the Controversy

The plagiarism claims began shortly after ILLIT’s debut but gained traction in April 2024, when Min Hee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, publicly accused BeLift Lab of copying NewJeans. The matter intensified in October, as Min Hee Jin submitted alleged evidence to the Seoul Central District Court, claiming ILLIT’s production files mirrored those of NewJeans.

CEO Kim Tae Ho’s Perspective

In the interview, Kim Tae Ho acknowledged NewJeans’s impact on the industry but denied any plagiarism by ILLIT.

“It is my belief that there is not a single team who debuted after NewJeans who was not influenced by the girl group in some way. Their success is just incredible. Whether those teams chose to go with a similar concept, or go with a different concept, the influence was definitely there. But if you ask me directly, ‘Was there ever a moment when you thought that if your group copied NewJeans, you would achieve success more easily?’, then I would answer, ‘No’.”

He continued to refute the allegations:

“ILLIT never plagiarized Min Hee Jin’s or NewJeans’s concepts. We have the evidence to support these claims, but I can’t just ask the public to read through all of the documents and see for themselves. Just as I said during the National Assembly audit, this is a matter for the court to decide.”

How ILLIT Members Reacted

Kim Tae Ho opened up about the emotional toll the controversy has taken on the group.

“Of course, the members suffered from it. But in the beginning, because they did not want to burden the company, they said that they were fine, then dealt with the stress all on their own. They were especially shocked by the ‘Ignore it’ controversy. The members know very well what happened during that incident. They said, ‘Why do they have to go this far?’. They wanted to know what they did wrong. I think they were afraid to go on stage after that.”

He added that despite the challenges, the group has grown stronger:

“But now, I think that they’ve become more resilient. If they can get through these trials, they will grow as artists. They’ve matured. They’ve matured so much that I feel sorry for what they had to go through. Once again, I would like to clarify that no one told the ILLIT members to ‘ignore’ anyone.”

Moving Forward

Kim Tae Ho emphasized that ILLIT’s focus is on showcasing their unique identity and breaking free from preconceived notions.

“ILLIT’s goal is to show the public their true colors as a team while breaking free from limiting frames.”

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