Rookie girl group ILLIT faced an awkward moment during their performance at Sogang University’s festival when a fan’s shoutout about NewJeans member Haerintriggered booing from the crowd. The incident highlights growing tensions between fans of the two HYBE-label groups amid ongoing controversies.
The disruption happened just before ILLIT took the stage. The event’s host asked the audience if anyone had a special occasion to celebrate, like a birthday. A fan loudly shouted, “It’s NewJeans Haerin’s birthday!” The crowd reacted with loud boos, upset by what they saw as a disrespectful interruption during ILLIT’s moment.
The MC quickly tried to calm the situation, saying, “It seems like there’s some booing and criticism going on here and there. We’re not looking for things like that.” The festival continued, but the incident sparked heated discussions online. Many students called the fan’s action inappropriate, while others felt it unfairly overshadowed ILLIT’s performance.
This incident adds to the ongoing drama between ILLIT and NewJeans. Both groups are under HYBE, but tensions have been high since former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin accused ILLIT of copying NewJeans’ style. Reports also claim NewJeans’ side submitted a court statement alleging ILLIT members mocked NewJeans’ Hanni, though no proof has been shared publicly.
Fans are divided. Some believe the shoutout was intentional to provoke ILLIT, while others argue it was just a harmless birthday mention. Online forums are filled with debates, with many blaming HYBE’s management for allowing such conflicts between their own artists.
The university’s online community criticized the fan’s behavior, calling it disruptive. Some posts defended the fan, saying birthdays are usually celebrated at festivals. However, most agreed the timing was poor, as it shifted focus from ILLIT’s performance.
This isn’t the first time ILLIT has faced backlash. Since their debut, they’ve been accused of mimicking NewJeans’ music and fashion. Min Hee Jin’s legal battle with HYBE has further fueled the rivalry, with fans taking sides. The court case continues, keeping tensions high between the two fandoms.
Netizens had mixed reactions. Some comments from online discussions include:
“Why bring up NewJeans at ILLIT’s event? It’s clearly meant to start drama.”
“Fans should support their favorites without ruining others’ moments.”
“The booing was too harsh—it’s just a birthday mention.”
The incident shows how intense K-pop fan wars can get, especially when groups from the same company are involved. Both ILLIT and NewJeans have strong fanbases, and clashes like this only deepen the divide. HYBE has yet to comment on the situation.
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