Entertainment · K-Culture & Anime · 16 hrs ago
Seoul court rejects Belift Lab's damages suit against Min Hee-jin
The Seoul Western District Court rejected Belift Lab’s damages claim against former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin on Friday.
Belift Lab, a Hybe sub-label, had sought 2 billion won over Min’s claim that its girl group ILLIT copied NewJeans.
She made the claim at a press conference in April 2024, during a wider dispute involving the K-pop companies.
The court said her remarks were subjective opinion, rather than false information that defamed Belift Lab.
It also dismissed Min’s 5 billion won counterclaim, finding that NewJeans’ success belonged to ADOR and others, not to her personally.
Min faces a separate criminal case over alleged defamation and obstruction of business; police referred the case to prosecutors last month.
A Seoul court dismissed damages lawsuits filed against Min Hee-jin by K-pop agencies Belift Lab and Source Music.
The agencies sought a combined 2.5 billion won over claims Min made about NewJeans, ILLIT and the groups’ debut plans.
The court found Min’s remarks about ILLIT allegedly copying NewJeans were closer to opinions than statements of fact.
It also rejected Min’s 5 billion won counterclaim against Belift Lab.
The court ordered each side to pay the litigation costs for its own claims.
- Who
- Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, and K-pop agencies Belift Lab and Source Music.
- What
- A Seoul court dismissed the agencies’ damages lawsuits against Min and her 5 billion won counterclaim against Belift Lab.
- When
- November 13, 2026.
- Where
- Seoul Western District Court, South Korea.
- Why
- The court found Min’s remarks about ILLIT were opinions rather than statements of fact; it also ruled on her remarks about NewJeans’ recruitment and debut plans.
Belift Lab and Source Music
Min Hee-jin
Alleged harm
Belift Lab and Source Music
The agencies sought damages over Min’s claims, including that ILLIT copied NewJeans and that a promise about NewJeans’ debut was broken.
Min Hee-jin
Min’s remarks were expressions of opinion or descriptions of her role, according to the court’s findings.
Financial claims
Belift Lab and Source Music
Belift Lab sought 2 billion won and Source Music sought 500 million won.
Min Hee-jin
Min sought 5 billion won from Belift Lab, arguing ILLIT’s imitation lowered NewJeans’ value and cost her performance bonuses.
Min said at a press conference that ILLIT had copied NewJeans.
Belift Lab sued Min for 2 billion won, alleging defamation.
Source Music sued Min for 500 million won over her claims about NewJeans’ recruitment and debut plans.
The Seoul Western District Court dismissed the agencies’ lawsuits and Min’s counterclaim.
- Belift Lab’s claim
- 2 billion won
- Source Music’s claim
- 500 million won
- Combined agency claims
- 2.5 billion won
- Min’s counterclaim
- 5 billion won
- Court
- Seoul Western District Court, South Korea