NewJeans vs. ILLIT: ADOR Claims HYBE's New Girl Group Is Copying 'OMG' Singers To Replicate Success

ADOR's Min Hee Jin has alleged that HYBE's ILLIT is "NewJeans' copycat."

On Monday, the CEO of ADOR released a statement criticizing HYBE's disregard for the similarities between NewJeans and HYBE's new girl group, according to Korea Joong Ang Daily.

"The cultural success of ADOR's NewJeans is ironically being undermined by HYBE. After ILLIT's teaser image was released, there was an explosive response online, with many commenting that they initially thought [the group] was NewJeans," Min said in her statement.

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"ILLIT has been copying NewJeans in all areas of activities, including hair, makeup, costumes, choreography, photos, videos and event appearances. ILLIT is being evaluated as a derivative of NewJeans, with terms like 'Min Hee-jin style,' 'Min Hee-jin type' and 'NewJeans counterpart,'" she claimed.

The mastermind behind the "OMG" singers reportedly blamed HYBE's founder, Bang Si-Hyuk, for the clash since he helmed the production of ILLIT's debut.

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"ADOR already filed an official complaint about HYBE's attitude toward NewJeans, as well as ILLIT's copycat issue. However, HYBE and Belift Lab refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing, merely coming up with a string of excuses and delaying concrete responses," she said.

Min also denied the allegations that she was just attempting to take over the management rights of ADOR and break away from HYBE.

"I have never met with any investor to take over management rights of the company. I have never attempted to seize the management rights of ADOR as HYBE claimed. How can I seize management rights with my 18 percent shares?" she said in her exclusive interview with Daily Sports.

In another interview, the art director stated that "ADOR does not wish for NewJeans and ILLIT to be associated in any way. They have no intention of tolerating promotions that label one as a sister group to the other simply because they debuted under a HYBE subsidiary label," according to Koreaboo.

Because of this statement, Korean netizens are claiming that Min is a hypocrite because NewJeans benefited from HYBE's artists too when NewJeans members Minji and Hanni appeared in BTS' "Permission to Dance" music video before their debut.

"It's the epitome of hypocrisy. They promoted the trainee group as BTS's little sister group, even having them appear in a BTS music video," wrote one netizen.

"Aren't they the only junior idol group that appeared in a BTS music video?" someone else commented.

NewJeans is a five-member group composed of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein. In July 2022, the K-Pop girl group debuted with the single "Attention" under ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE.

The group has several chart-topping hits, including "OMG," which made it to Rolling Stone's list of "The Best Songs of 2023 So Far" in the top 30.

ILLIT, on the other hand, debuted in March this year with its first mini-album "Super Real Me," which includes the tracks "My World," "Magnetic," "Midnight Fiction" and "Lucky Girl Syndrome."

The group, composed of Iroha, Minju, Wonhee, Moka and Yunah, entered the K-Pop scene under BELIFT LAB, another subsidiary of HYBE.