JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT defamation case: HYBE seeks personal details of 7 malicious YouTubers, US court approves
A US court orders Google to share the identities of seven YouTube channels accused of defaming ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM, allowing Source Music and BELIFT LAB to proceed with legal action.
Major legal strides have been made in Source Music and BELIFT LAB’s ongoing battle against defamatory online content, as a U.S. court has ruled that Google must disclose the identities of seven YouTube channel operators accused of spreading false claims about K-pop groups LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT.
The ruling follows a legal motion filed by HYBE, Source Music, and BELIFT LAB in September 2024, requesting Google’s compliance under a U.S. law that facilitates the collection of evidence for foreign lawsuits. The YouTube channels in question- Cute Rabbit Jjang, EnterPick, People Box, Da Issue, NewJeansFam, Issue Tan, and Wangjam Issue—collectively amass over 250,000 subscribers. These channels have been accused of making damaging allegations, including claims that LE SSERAFIM concealed members’ vocal abilities and that ILLIT engaged in plagiarism.
Source Music and BELIFT LAB initially took legal action in Seoul’s Western District Court in August 2024. However, the lack of identifiable information regarding the YouTube channel operators stalled the process. Seeking to move forward, HYBE and its affiliated labels petitioned the U.S. courts to compel Google to disclose the necessary details.
On November 27, 2024, a chief magistrate approved the request, allowing the agencies to issue a subpoena to Google. The requested data included Google account details, personal identification information, and access logs tied to the seven channels. A formal certificate of service was issued to Google on December 5, 2024, providing the company with 30 days to notify the individuals concerned.
By February 5, 2025, the court confirmed that no objections had been filed within the stipulated period, clearing the path for the case to proceed. Under the original terms, Google now has 10 days to supply the requested data to Source Music and BELIFT LAB. Once received, the information will enable the labels to advance their defamation lawsuits in South Korea.
This legal action is part of HYBE’s broader initiative to combat defamation and malicious online content targeting its artists. Meanwhile, a previous similar case has seen an unwelcome outcome, in which a separate request to obtain the identity of an X user making allegations against BTS and LE SSERAFIM was denied earlier. Now with the latest court ruling, Source Music and BELIFT LAB are poised to escalate their legal efforts against harmful online content, reinforcing their commitment to protecting their artists from defamation and misinformation.
LE SSERAFIM confirmed to make comeback after 7 months with new song in March
