South Korean portal reveals letter sent by NewJeans parents to HYBE

We express deep concern over the controversy that has arisen with many similarities in concept (photos, music video, etc.), style, choreography, etc. between NewJeans and a group that debuted under another HYBE label (hereinafter referred to as “000”).

These similarities appear to be the result of intentional imitation on the part of HYBE/BELIFT LAB.

What is shown in the series of concept photos, style, music video direction, choreography and in-house produced content, along with the employment of NewJeans debut era staff who worked exclusively with NewJeans with no prior experience with other idols, makes It is difficult to deny the intentionality behind these actions.

Content similar to NewJeans has already been mass-produced, and suspicions such as NewJeans copying and plagiarism have circulated widely. It is deeply regrettable that another brand from the same parent company can engineer a team that intentionally resembles NewJeans’ debut era within just one year and eight months since NewJeans’ debut.

More than anything, we question the logic behind such irrational planning within the same company, although it is common sense for teams with different characteristics to target different markets, especially when debuts are not far apart. We understand that ADOR was not involved or cooperated in this process.

We request that HYBE/BELIFT LAB clarify their intentions behind these similar plans that were made arbitrarily.

Furthermore, marketing a new team in a way that slyly draws comparisons to NewJeans poses a bigger problem. Did ADOR give permission to use choreography with identical movements?

If these situations continue, it will undoubtedly damage the reputation and brand value of NewJeans.

As the public criticizes and refutes the similarities between the two teams and various controversies and unnecessary comparisons are created, the members experience severe mental suffering in this process in which NewJeans’ achievements so far may be undermined. Not only the members, but their families feel extreme fatigue about 000 being mentioned together in almost every article on NewJeans and on social media, and even feel helpless about not being able to stop it. We are upset and hurt that NewJeans is being used in unnecessary comparative analysis, and it is hurtful.

In the TikTok video that sparked plagiarism controversies because 000 didn’t give credit to a foreign choreographer, a comment that received countless likes surprisingly stated, ‘I thought it was NewJeans.’ The relevant video has a high view count. Someone might see the video and misunderstand that it’s NewJeans’ fault.

Even in 000 videos [produzidos internamente], there was content that could be used as gossip. We believed that certain references in the 000 videos produced internally by BELIFT LAB were very inappropriate. As we feared, relevant gossip was produced and we discovered content mocking NewJeans in an online community. It’s a shame this content wasn’t filtered, even though it was all produced and edited by HYBE’s in-house production team.

Does BELIFT LAB/HYBE have any intention of protecting the value of the NewJeans brand and each of its members?

The reason it wasn’t treated as a major concern is because absurd situations occurred frequently. We wonder why HYBE President Bang Si Hyuk ignored NewJeans members and their greetings whenever he met them at the company.

First, we had doubts when we heard from the children: ‘He must not have recognized us’, and we asked again several times. However, this happened on several occasions, and as there were times when he was found alone on different dates and locations, he must have recognized the members as being NewJeans.

Even if he didn’t know they were members of NewJeans, it should be [cortesia] basic to respond first to someone who offers you a greeting. Is it so difficult to exchange greetings within the company? After hearing more than one or two cases of standing still in the elevator because it was embarrassing to be ignored, realizing that [Bang Si Hyuk] was pretending not to see them and feeling as if they were being avoided on purpose, we were surprised by this childish and unbelievable situation as parents, and we were perplexed because there was nothing we could say to our daughters. Members are only elementary and high school age.

This isn’t the only treatment we can’t understand. In the past, NewJeans members signed on as SOURCE MUSIC trainees after hearing the offer and promise of being HYBE’s first girl group, and then had to wait blindly without hearing any explanation from SOURCE MUSIC while the project was delayed. . In the meantime, we have heard news of 000 and 000 contract signings. Eventually, contrary to what was promised at the time of signing [dos contratos]another team debuted as the first female group [da HYBE].

The broken promise of NewJeans to be HYBE’s first girl group and the endless waiting and neglect experienced by NewJeans members when they were SOURCE MUSIC trainees are unforgettable nightmares.

Due to the challenging process experienced at SOURCE MUSIC, there was a member who considered giving up on debuting.

The ongoing issue of plagiarism that is currently rocking several fan communities and social media is the result of HYBE’s unfair treatment and lack of transparent communication, and we believe this is just the beginning.

We oppose the use of NewJeans as a strategy to deliberately attract attention only when necessary by HYBE, under the grounds that it is from a sub-brand of HYBE, and we regret HYBE/BELIFT LAB’s promotional methods that were carried out arbitrarily without solicitation or consultation, although there has been no prior involvement or agreement with ADOR, and we request corrective measures.

Considering issues that have occurred from the past to the present, including the content that we were unable to include in this email, we, as legal representatives of NewJeans, believe that it will be difficult to restore our broken trust in HYBE.

It has become clear through several incidents that HYBE does not respect NewJeans, which makes us worried about how HYBE will exploit NewJeans in the future and what they will imitate next.

With regret, we officially request that ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, responsible for NewJeans management contracts, take measures to block the infringing activities against NewJeans by HYBE/BELIFT LAB and to protect the value of its brand.

In accordance with the exclusive contracts signed on April 21, 2022, ADOR undertakes to faithfully provide management services so that NewJeans’ talents and qualities can be maximized and to make every effort to ensure that profits are maximized , thus promoting mutual benefits. We strongly request that ADOR take the best possible measures to eradicate plagiarism disputes caused by HYBE and the marketing activities they exploit [essas disputas].

Furthermore, we hope you will enlighten HYBE to protect the value that NewJeans holds and allow its potential to be realized by encouraging individual brands to create diverse content based on their own new ideas and not through unethical methods of stealing and promoting existing content, thus innovating the music industry.

We read an article stating that the 000 members mentioned in their debut showcase, ‘Producer Bang Si Hyuk meticulously monitored our practice videos and gave us feedback’, indicating that president Bang Si Hyuk had taken charge of their overall production. If no one else, other than the president himself, produced it directly, it would be appropriate to employ a differentiation strategy considering the company’s existing teams. Furthermore, if any overlapping content is discovered, even if unintentional, it should be immediately corrected as a matter of principle. However, the impression from the interview articles suggests that he tolerates, acquiesces or even leads [tais ações]which inevitably raises questions about HYBE’s ethical conscience.

In the wake of NewJeans’ success in changing K-pop trends, to the point that the term ‘men’s NewJeans’ was coined due to frequent imitation, we convey our strong condemnation of HYBE’s compliance with this trend in its harshest form, without any consideration for protection of originality.

As a leader in the K-pop industry, HYBE must provide a sensitive and healthy environment for its label artists.

We demand a strong protest against HYBE for the aforementioned issues and await your response and corrective measures.

March 31, 2024
NewJeans Legal Representatives.”