The ongoing ILLIT's 'plagiarism lawsuit' involving former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and Belift Lab is set to go to trial in January next year.

According to legal sources, the Seoul Western District Court’s 12th Civil Division will hold the first hearing for the lawsuit on January 10, 2025. The lawsuit was filed by Belift Lab against Min Hee Jin for damages, with a total amount of 2 billion KRW (about 20 million USD) being claimed.

Earlier, Belift Lab denied the allegations that ILLIT had plagiarized NewJeans' planning proposal and filed the lawsuit in June.

Belift Lab stated, "ILLIT’s branding strategy and concept were finalized and internally shared on July 21, 2023," and added, "The tip-off that allegedly sent over the 'proposal' was made on August 28, 2023, meaning it could not have influenced ILLIT's concept."

Previously, Min Hee Jin's side claimed during a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on an injunction related to HYBE’s voting rights that "ILLIT plagiarized NewJeans."

The whistleblower provided evidence stating that ILLIT's creative director had received NewJeans' concept proposal from the beginning and that both groups’ plans were nearly identical. The whistleblower also commented, "I never imagined they would create the exact same concept."

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Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

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