BELIFT LAB Makes Desperate Attempt At Clearing ILLIT's Plagiarism Allegations And Attacks NewJeans In "Bizarre" Video

This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.

BELIFT LAB is receiving criticism for re-engaging in their feud with ADOR.

ILLIT_MV behind_all.jpg — ILLIT | *BELIFT LAB*

On June 10, BELIFT LAB unexpectedly uploaded a video titled “BELIFT LAB’s Statement In Response To Plagiarism Accusations.” In the video, which includes an accompanying soundtrack, BELIFT LAB’s Co-CEOs attempt to rid the group of long-standing plagiarism allegations.

In the video, the Co-CEO’s attempt to downplay the plagiarism allegations by simply stating that the allegations were a rite of passage for all K-Pop idols who debut after NewJeans.

I think this is the fate of all teams that debut after a group that has succeeded in a specific concept.

— BELIFT LAB CEO

The company then went on to share their branding book that states “NOT NewJeans” as further proof that they didn’t plagiarize. The Co-CEOs double down on their assertion by stating that there had been many other groups that also took on NewJeans’ aesthetics, and that claiming ILLIT had copied NewJeans was equating to saying ILLIT had stolen from all of the previous groups.

BELIFT LAB continues by then claiming that teenagers weren’t fans of NewJeans and that the group spoke to an older generation of fans who were nostalgic for the 90s and Y2K, before then asserting that it was ILLIT who targeted teenage fans.

BELIFT LAB then reveals that one of the many photos that were alleged to have been inspired by NewJeans before explaining the group’s concept. It is notable to mention that one of the 2 concepts shown in the video, “The Real Me,” has also been accused of copying a Korean online fashion brand.

ILLIT Embroiled In Damning New Plagiarism Controversy

ILLIT’s choreographer then addressed the controversy regarding ILLIT’s choreography. According to the choreographer, ILLIT’s moves did not copy NewJeans and that the dance leading up to and following the moves attest to this.

BELIFT LAB then goes on to try justifying ILLIT’s similarities to NewJeans by listing other K-Pop groups, and asks “If we copied NewJeans, did NewJeans copy them?” BELIFT LAB’s Co-CEO then states that they did not believe NewJeans copied anyone, and therefore they should be given the same grace.

Despite BELIFT LAB’s intentions, netizens reacted to the video by criticizing the label. Many netizens could not believe that the label would bring back up the plagiarism accusations, and try to bring down NewJeans as well as many other groups in the process.

“Is the Geunjeongjeon Palace yours? It belongs to Korea and even if the performance was similar to BTS’s, it was KBS that organized it. Is this seriously an official video?”
“Wow, this is so pathetic that I don’t have anything to say.”
“Seriously, you guys are trying to be funny, right? LOL.”
“I’ve never seen a label upload a video this pathetic before.”
“NMIXX released their song after NewJeans… Do you not check your facts? I can’t believe this was actually uploaded by the label.”
“Are they crazy? What kind of label mirrors Sojang?”
“Doing this only makes it worse for ILLIT, and now you’ve made everyone have a bias against the group. Why are you doing this? Don’t make these bizarre videos just because you are mad and think about the future.”
“So you look over the fact that ILLIT followed NewJeans and BABYMONSTER antis, but you are going to sue us over ILLIT? Lol. If I were you, I’d be so embarrassed.”
“This is an official channel, right? You guys weren’t hacked, right? You know that the plagiarism allegations were there even before Min Hee Jin’s press conference, right? Do you not monitor fan communities?”
“Is resembling a group from 30 years prior the same as copying a group from a year ago? If you want to claim you didn’t plagiarize, shouldn’t you reveal the production concept for the group?”

What are your thoughts? You can watch the video in the link below.