Belift Lab Accused Of “Stealing Everything” From NewJeans In Their Plans For ILLIT

On November 11, 2024, the news outlet Hankyeore acquired two reports: one titled “Belift Lab’s New Girl Group Plan (ILLIT)” and another called “2021 Team Launching Plan (NewJeans),” through a tip-off. Despite a three-year gap between the two groups, the reports featured strikingly similar designs and keywords, reigniting suspicions of plagiarism.

According to Hankyeore, the two reports appeared to use the same template, featuring similar designs. However, this was not a company-wide or standard template. Min Hee Jin had previously stated in May 2020 that she personally designed the graphics for her report using Keynote during her time as HYBE’s Chief Brand Officer. Hankyeore confirmed that while HYBE offers report and presentation templates, they are tailored to each label. Since ILLIT is managed by Belift Lab, not ADOR, they would not have had access to ADOR’s template. Min Hee Jin had shared her report with Belift Lab at HYBE’s request.

Not only were the designs similar, but the reports also used similar keywords. To name one, NewJeans’ report proposed marketing a “sense of kinship (dongjilgam)” and “sense of yearning (donggyungshim)” to differentiate NewJeans from other artists.

ILLIT similarly chose the keywords for sense of kinship and sense of yearning in Korean. They also reflected “influence on lifestyle” as a trait.

As suspicions were brought back, netizens grew angered at HYBE and Belift Lab.

• This is similar to copying bits and pieces of a thesis and re-arranging it. But they really stole it without any conscience.
• Wow, do they not have any pride? LOL. Isn’t it so familiar how they’re just taking it and using it?
• They even copied the PPT. Crazy, f*ck, even college students wouldn’t copy things to that extent.
• They really used stole the entire template.
• Crazy, they stole everything.
• So shameless.
• HYBE pulled a HYBE, not surprised.

You can read more on the accusations below.

Newly Leaked Debut Plans For NewJeans And ILLIT Raise Plagiarism Suspicions Once More