HYBE denounces accusations following email sent by parents of NewJeans members
HYBE, the parent company that handles various labels including ADOR and BELIFT LAB, has responded to the email allegedly sent by the parents of NewJeans members, brushing off alleged issues of plagiarism, manipulation, and unfair treatment towards the girl group.
According to a report by Korean entertainment media outlet Soompi, the company said that they received the mentioned email on April 3 and replied on April 16 with content including that it is not plagiarism.
"We also want to state that the claim that the start of the ADOR incident was due to 'neglect such as not responding to greetings' is a one-sided argument and not true," HYBE stated, adding that ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, who also handles NewJeans, is "using an old-fashioned practice as she drags in artists and their families in her own battles for her personal greed."
"We have evidence that the act of sending emails attacking HYBE was part of the plan for the takeover of management rights and her personal gain from the start," the statement said.
They continued, "Min Hee Jin suggested using the parents to raise issues because it would breach the shareholders' agreement if she did it herself, the email allegedly sent by the parents was actually written by Vice President L and Min Hee Jin."
The company went on by saying that they plan to submit the "evidence" to investigative and judicial authorities, highlighting their dismay towards Hee-Jin's behavior in "using artists as shields for her personal gain and even putting their parents at the forefront."
"We urge her not to mislead public opinion and to exercise restraint to protect the value of the artists," they concluded.
This comes after ADOR CEO, on behalf of the parents of the members of NewJeans, sent an email to HYBE and its label BELIFT LAB. In the email, they voiced their concerns against HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk's handling of a new girl group—which they did not name—BELIFT LAB's alleged copying of NewJeans, and other issues.
"We express deep concern over the controversy that has risen with many similarities in concept (photos, music video, etc.), styling, choreography, etc. between NewJeans and a group that debuted under another label of HYBE (hereafter referred to as "000"). These similarities appear to be the result of intentional imitation by HYBE / BELIFT LAB," the parents began the email, adding the frustration on the mass production of similar content to NewJeans, prompting suspicions such as copying and plagiarism.
The parents also reasoned out some "childish and unbelievable" incidents, alleging "HYBE's chairman Bang Si Hyuk ignored the NewJeans members and their greetings whenever he ran into them at the company."
In April, Hee Jin, also released a lengthy statement, slamming HYBE for allowing Belift Lab's ILLIT to copy the Super Shy singers.
"ILLIT is copying NewJeans in all aspects of entertainment activities, including hair, makeup, clothing, choreography, photos, videos, and event appearances," she said, as reported by Korean outlet Soompi.
NewJeans is a five-member group composed of Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Minji, and Hyein. They are known for their Y2K aesthetics, as well as for their hit tracks, including OMG, Ditto, Hype Boy, and Super Shy.
Two years after their debut in July 2022, the group bagged the Group of the Year Award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music.
Meanwhile, ILLIT, composed of Yunah, Moka, Minju, Iroha, and Wonhee, recently debuted in March this year with an EP dubbed Super Real Me that included their hit track Magnetic.