Min Hee Jin’s Surprise NewJeans Unreleased Demo Is Said To Be Similar To ILLIT’s New Song
At the recent “2024 DaVinci MOTEL” event held on September 27, Min Hee Jin, former CEO of ADOR, unexpectedly showcased an unreleased demo from NewJeans. The track, known as “NJ1 Demo,” featured beats that caught fans’ attention, but it also led to controversy. Online discussions began with netizens drawing parallels between the demo’s beat and the song “IYKYK,” which was released on October 24 by ILLIT.
There were claims that Min Hee-jin mentioned that the beat from the NewJeans demo had been developed two years prior, leading some to suggest that there might have been improper use of the composition by ILLIT. The timing of the reveal, coupled with the ongoing discussion, has raised questions about potential copyright infringement and creative integrity in the music industry.
Although the claims remain unverified, previously leaked documents by Min suggested that HYBE may have benchmarked or interfered with other K-Pop groups, leading many to believe that the beats from the NewJeans demo were repurposed and given to ILLIT. This has fueled speculation that Min Hee Jin’s decision to reveal the demo was a subtle way of highlighting potential plagiarism issues.
The situation has fueled widespread debates, with fans expressing concerns over artistic originality and ethical practices. Meanwhile, there has been no official statement from ADOR or ILLIT regarding the allegations.
Since their debut, ILLIT has been criticized for being too similar to NewJeans. Both groups are known for fast-paced, energetic electronic tracks, promoting with a dreamy school uniform concept, and having choreography that resembles each other. Additionally, both groups appeared at fashion brand events shortly after their debut. Even the album covers and accompanying products feature cartoon characters with similar styles.
Therefore, many fans praise Min Heejin for being clever in predicting that HYBE might steal NewJeans’ music and give it to another group, so she preemptively exposed it to outmaneuver HYBE.
Source: X
