Can you spot the difference between the two?
Amidst the ongoing dispute between ADOR’s Min Hee Jin and HYBE, Min Hee Jin held a press conference on April 25, 2024, where she shared her perspective.
One point she raised was how HYBE replicated her formula for NewJeans after witnessing the group’s success.
This has been a contentious issue for many fans since ILLIT’s pre-debut era. Many felt that the two groups were indistinguishable in terms of style and concept.
There have also been discussions about ILLIT copying NewJeans’ iconic choreography. Another instance Min Hee Jin highlighted was the groups’ hanbok photoshoots.
While hanbok photoshoots are not uncommon, NewJeans was the first group to adopt this style of shoot.
Before NewJeans, most idol groups’ hanbok photoshoots were simply taken in studios, intended as a New Year’s treat for fans rather than a full promotional project.
Min Hee Jin was the first to conduct a location shoot.
NewJeans’ hanbok shoot became a hot topic for its high quality and refreshingly dreamy concept.
Many praised them for their princess-like appearance during the shoot.
In February 2024, ILLIT released their version of the hanbok shoot. They also chose a similar location. Netizens couldn’t help but notice the similarities in poses, vibes, and concepts.
Even the color scheme and filters of the photos were identical.
Upon seeing these, netizens began to side with Min Hee Jin.
Netizens criticized ILLIT’s team for copying NewJeans’ hanbok shoot.
Comments from netizens included:
“It’s a clear copy-paste.”
“They’re such bullies.”
“Bullies don’t know where to draw the line.”
“I would be annoyed too, if I were her.” “Wow, they’re just doing it blatantly.”
“People were saying they didn’t plagiarize because it’s just Lolita-style clothing, but there’s so much more that’s exactly the same apart from that…”
“What’s up with ILLIT, really.”
“No other existing group took a hanbok shoot using such a color scheme and that cinematography. But they just copied it, making it look more obvious.”
While you may argue that hanboks are a common concept due to being Korea’s traditional outfit, the similarity of the two shoots is definitely visible to the eye.
Many have commented that when you simply look at the photos as a group, they are unable to distinguish which photos belong to which group.
Source[1]
