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Min Hee Jin absent from first trial in ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM defamation case; lawyer claims choreography plagiarism
Min Hee Jin was not present at the initial trial concerning the defamation case involving LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT. Keep reading for further information.
Min Hee Jin has been involved in multiple legal disputes since last year. She was sued by BELIFT LAB and Source Music on defamation charges related to their girl groups, ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM, respectively. However, Min Hee Jin remained absent from the first hearing of the case.
On January 10, 2024, the 12th Civil Division of the Seoul Western District Court held the first hearing for the defamation lawsuit brought by BELIFT LAB and Source Music, both under HYBE, against Min Hee Jin. The former ADOR CEO did not attend the hearing in person, and lawyers from the law firm Sejong represented her. Legal representatives for both Source Music and BELIFT LAB were also present to continue the proceedings.
Previously, Source Music filed a lawsuit against Min Hee Jin in July 2023, seeking damages of approximately 500 million KRW, alleging defamation, interference with business, and insults against their girl group LE SSERAFIM. BELIFT LAB also filed a damages lawsuit against her on behalf of ILLIT, claiming 2 billion KRW.
Min Hee Jin held an emergency press conference in April 2024, alleging that tensions with HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk escalated after LE SSERAFIM, managed by Source Music, debuted before NewJeans, which she claimed was intended to be HYBE’s first girl group.
Source Music denied these allegations, asserting that the claim that LE SSERAFIM caused harm to another artist and the dissemination of unverified information as fact were baseless and false.
Min Hee Jin further accused BELIFT LAB’s group, ILLIT, of plagiarizing NewJeans’ overall concept. BELIFT LAB refuted these accusations, emphasizing that ILLIT’s branding and concept were finalized on July 21, 2023, while ADOR’s planning documents were only submitted on August 28, 2023, making it chronologically impossible for ILLIT’s concept to have been influenced.
Additionally, amid these disputes, Min Hee Jin’s side filed a counter-lawsuit against BELIFT LAB’s CEO and key personnel for defamation, seeking 5 billion KRW in damages.
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