ILLIT's Agency Belift Lab Sues ADOR's Fan Account 'Team Bunny's' for 100 Million Won Over Defamation

Belift Lab, the agency of girl group ILLIT and a subsidiary of HYBE, has filed a lawsuit seeking 100 million won (approximately $72,000 USD) in damages against the operator of 'Team Bunny's,' a fan account for ADOR's group NewJeans.

The lawsuit was filed on May 11th at the Seoul Western District Court, naming the operator and their parents as defendants, reportedly due to the operator being a minor and thus involving parental responsibility.

Belift Lab alleges that the Team Bunny's operator repeatedly posted false information claiming ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans, thereby damaging the artists' and the company's reputation. The agency is also seeking compensation for business losses incurred as a result.

Team Bunny's initially presented itself as a collective of professionals from various fields. However, it was revealed through a police investigation that the account was operated by a single minor. The account had previously filed a criminal complaint against Belift Lab CEO Bang Si-hyuk. Recently, a court ruled that it was difficult to conclude that ILLIT had copied NewJeans' concepts in a separate lawsuit filed by NewJeans members.

Korean netizens have reacted with a mix of surprise and concern, with comments like, "It's unbelievable it was just one minor," and "While I understand the agency's position, I'm worried about a prolonged legal battle." Others expressed, "I just hope the artists don't get hurt by this."