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BeLift Lab CEO: “ILLIT’s Auditions Were Fair; Group Selected Through Transparent Voting” (2 of 3)
🕑 Added 2024-11-15 18:10:49 +0000 UTCQ: You’ve stated that the timelines for ILLIT’s and NewJeans’ planning processes make plagiarism impossible. Could you clarify the timeline for both groups?
The NewJeans plan in question was shared with BeLift Lab in August 2023. Prior to this, the ILLIT preparation team had never seen the document.
ILLIT’s initial planning documents were completed before August 2023, at which point NewJeans’ plan was delivered. All the keywords now alleged to be similar were already finalized in ILLIT’s strategy.
To provide a detailed timeline:
From April to June 2023, BeLift Lab released its Business Strategy Direction document.
In July 2023, the New Girl Group Branding Strategy document was finalized, outlining ILLIT’s brand identity and core keywords.
The New Girl Group Plan document, which has drawn external scrutiny, was completed in September 2023. This document consolidated earlier planning efforts, detailing ILLIT’s objectives, target audience, content strategies, and a mid-to-long-term roadmap.
Some critics have misrepresented BeLift Lab’s statement from last October, claiming inconsistencies between the finalized concept date (July 21, 2023) and the September 1 debut group announcement during the audition program. This misleads the public by ignoring the iterative nature of idol production. Strategy and concept documents evolve throughout the planning process, and different documents serve specific roles at different stages.
The October statement was a direct rebuttal to a whistleblower’s claim during the injunction hearing between HYBE and Min Hee-jin, alleging similarities between the two groups’ plans. As previously explained, ILLIT’s concept stemmed from the Rookie Girl Group Branding Strategy document in July 2023, and subsequent updates in the September document incorporated specific member profiles and execution plans.
Q: Allegations have surfaced that ILLIT’s audition program was manipulated. How do you respond?
This claim misrepresents the reality of the selection process. ILLIT’s debut group was chosen fairly, with two members selected via audience votes during the audition program and four chosen by the company. If manipulation had occurred, we would have falsely claimed that all six members were audience-selected.
At the time, there was public skepticism about why only two members were chosen through voting. From our perspective, the company prioritized aligning with the group’s concept and vision, even at the risk of criticism. Transparency was key—we made it clear that only two members were selected through audience votes, while the company made the remaining decisions.
Q: There was criticism of the video BeLift Lab released in June addressing the plagiarism controversy, particularly that it lacked persuasiveness and referenced unrelated artists. What is your response?
ILLIT, despite being newly debuted, was unfairly labeled as a plagiarism group. Min Hee-jin even advanced the baseless claim that ILLIT had “copied Formula.”
The video aimed to explain the similarity issue comprehensively. For example, it clarified that movements in choreography often overlap across artists, making allegations of choreography plagiarism unfounded.
If given the chance to revisit that moment, we would still release the video. While some elements might be clarified further to prevent misunderstanding, the video was the right move. It wasn’t intended to resolve every issue but to counteract growing negative perceptions.
Many advised against releasing it, fearing it would reignite controversy. However, my experience in entertainment since 1992 taught me that unresolved accusations often linger in public memory, further solidifying misconceptions. Without the video, the plagiarism claims against ILLIT would have gained undue legitimacy.
Q: How are the legal proceedings related to the similarity allegations progressing?
Min Hee-jin has delayed proceedings repeatedly in both civil and criminal cases, postponing hearings and arguments. To address this, BeLift Lab formally requested the court to set a date for arguments earlier this week.
Our original complaint, filed in June, faced delays because Min avoided service of court documents on three occasions, finally receiving them three months after filing. As Min has not submitted materials or responses, we’ve applied for a non-argument judgment to expedite the process. Min’s team recently responded, stating they would reply within six weeks.
Additionally, ILLIT’s creative director has filed a separate lawsuit against Min and other former ADOR executives over these plagiarism claims. If Min is confident in his allegations, we expect him to approach these lawsuits earnestly and defend his position in court.
BeLift Lab is committed to protecting ILLIT’s integrity and reputation, and we will continue to take all necessary legal measures to resolve this matter.
source: https://www.osen.co.kr/article/G1112457625
Comments
roguechevelle
Yep. It's helpful pointing that out too cuz there are so many mantis that blame Hybe for everything a lot of naive new army get pulled into their ridiculous narratives.
Meryl Gorge
So terribly sad how much damage Min has done to all the groups at Big Hit. Sadder still how long all these ridiculous claims have been allowed to linger and fester. I find it difficult to differentiate the girl groups anyway; their concepts are somewhat different but the outfits are as sexually provocative as is allowed in Korea and the songs are all very juvenile which I think is a ploy to attract as much male interest as possible. Girl groups have a tough time in the US competing as well.
Ashley
I was wondering why it was taking so long for some of hybe's court cases to be heard, guess we now know.
