Belift Lab, the label that manages K-pop group ILLIT under HYBE, has filed a lawsuit against the operator of Team Bunnies, a NewJeans fan group, seeking 100 million won in damages over defamation claims.
The civil suit was filed Monday in Seoul Western District Court, naming the unidentified Team Bunnies operator and his parents as defendants. Belift Lab alleges that Team Bunnies repeatedly published false information alleging that ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans’ creative concept, causing significant damage to the group’s reputation and the label’s business interests, according to The Herald of Korea.
The controversy dates back to November 2024. The fan group had previously attempted to pursue criminal charges against Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae-ho. Their complaint was a reaction to Kim’s public rejection of the idea that ILLIT copied NewJeans; he insisted that the creative directions for the two groups were distinct. The fan manager claimed that they had leaked voice recordings and internal submissions that proved otherwise
However, the charges face legal hurdles. During a recent court case involving members of NewJeans seeking to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract with ADOR, the court ruled that “it is difficult to recognize that ILLIT has replicated NewJeans’ concept.”
Belift Lab’s complaint also addresses additional concerns beyond plagiarism allegations. The label claims that Team Bunnies confidential internal planning documents obtained and disclosed illegally related to ILLIT. Additionally, the company questions the legitimacy of Team Bunnies’ actions in filing what it describes as a malicious criminal complaint.
Team Bunnies initially presented itself as a coalition of professionals in the legal, media, financial and cultural sectors when it launched in September 2024. The group attracted attention for raising more than 50 million won online in October 2024, claiming that the funds would support legal action against posts targeting NewJeans.​
The fundraising effort has attracted scrutiny from authorities. The operator who showed up for police questioning was he turned out to be a minorknown as A. After the investigation revealed that the group had failed to complete required registration procedures, Team Bunnies acknowledged in November that it was “a one-person organization operated by a single minor member” and apologized for operating an unregistered donation system.
