![[theqoo] DAMAGES SUIT FILED AGAINST MIN HEEJIN BY ILLIT’S DIRECTOR DISMISSED… MIN HEEJIN WINS FINAL VICTORY](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6DCyFAuQ6VVf114u_yZm_s7QIxZXSdsg99rZ_zSWvv-N-BuREZKrXZg3_2Bt727hBnlgAfIIcdfbqiPQesEuWKGSy_iNG-ShsKOMhXW_E2jbQxDhaJtb5oFlLfBvlV71jbAkdm2mxlGsFdUUHhp3onGmfa3Z563Xhla4GZFWCHb88VFqz5lPw9MZW0G8O=w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu "[theqoo] DAMAGES SUIT FILED AGAINST MIN HEEJIN BY ILLIT’S DIRECTOR DISMISSED… MIN HEEJIN WINS FINAL VICTORY")
[theqoo] DAMAGES SUIT FILED AGAINST MIN HEEJIN BY ILLIT’S DIRECTOR DISMISSED… MIN HEEJIN WINS FINAL VICTORY
It has recently been revealed that Min Heejin, the former CEO of ADOR, won a damages lawsuit filed against her by a creative director surnamed Heu from BELIFT LAB (a HYBE subsidiary) regarding allegations that the girl group ILLIT copied NewJeans. Min secured a final victory after Heu decided not to appeal the ruling.
On the 21st of last month, Judge Park Geun-gyu of the Seoul Western District Court (Civil Division 22) dismissed all claims for damages filed by Heu against Min and a former ADOR vice president surnamed Shin. The court also ordered Heu to bear the litigation costs. Heu had sought a joint payment of 100 million won plus accrued interest from the two defendants.
On April 22, 2024, Min released an official statement alleging that BELIFT LAB’s ILLIT had copied NewJeans, and she held a press conference on the 25th of the same month. Heu claimed that Min defamed him by making false assertions through the statement, the press conference, and subsequent courtroom arguments and emails. She also sought joint liability for damages from Shin, alleging that Shin had conspired with Min in these actions.
First, the court rejected the claim against Shin. The court ruled that the evidence submitted by Heo was insufficient to establish that Shin had participated in the relevant actions—such as engaging in conduct objectively linked to Min or facilitating Min’s specific acts.
The court also found the claim against Min to be groundless. It determined that Heo could not be identified as the victim of defamation, noting that neither Heo’s name nor job title appeared anywhere in the official statements or press conferences in question.
The court also highlighted instances where Heu posted, and subsequently deleted, an Instagram Story featuring a photo showing an obscene finger gesture during Min’s press conference, and later posted and deleted a movie poster two days after the release of the music video for NewJeans’ new song “Bubble Gum.” The court concluded that these actions became known to Min’s fandom, likely triggering a barrage of hostile comments and videos directed at Heu.
The court also viewed the allegations that ILLIT copied NewJeans across “all areas of entertainment activities”, including hair, makeup, costumes, choreography, photography, videography, and event appearances, as general in nature. It determined that the claims did not specifically allege imitation of NewJeans within the “visual domain” overseen by Heu.
Consequently, the court concluded that the claim against former CEO Min, which was predicated on the premise that Heu was a victim of an unlawful act, was groundless. It deemed it unnecessary to separately address the remaining issues, such as whether the statements involved assertions of fact, the veracity of those facts, or the potential exclusion of illegality.
1. Give us NewJeans back, f*ck
2. She was that person? That person who posted the middle-finger on Instagram?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
3. Her name is Heu Serian? (T/N: 허세련 (Heose-ryeon) can be read as “cocky b*tch))
She really lives up to her nameㅋㅋ
4. She should apologize to Min, she sued her after all…
5. Cocky, cocky, cocky
6. Queen Heejin
7. What’s the deal with Mrs. Heu? All of this was so pointlessㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
8. I’m not even a little shocked
9. She’s suing the person that she should apologize to
10. I seriously don’t think she can lift her head up for the rest of her lifeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
