HYBE planned to copy girl group NewJeans when putting together ILLIT from the very beginning, Min Hee-jin's attorneys argued at the court hearing held Friday citing "an insider who was requested NewJeans' files by HYBE."

"An insider reported that a HYBE staff requested NewJeans' blueprint from the very beginning stages of ILLIT and that the outcomes of ILLIT came as identical as that of NewJeans," Min's attorneys at Shin & Kim said Friday.


The hearing took place at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on the injunction lawsuit Min filed against HYBE, which Min submitted on Sept. 13 requesting an extraordinary shareholder meeting for ADOR and her reinstatement as CEO.

Min argued that her dismissal violated the shareholder agreement with HYBE and contradicted a previous court decision prohibiting the exercise of voting rights.

Min's three-year term as CEO of ADOR was set to expire on Nov. 2.

In a previous ruling on May 30, the court sided with Min, preventing HYBE from using its majority shareholder status to remove her as CEO in a shareholder meeting that was held the following day, May 31.

The hearing for the earlier injunction filed by Min against HYBE was held on May 17.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]