Choreographers from NewJeans, under ADOR Entertainment, have publicly expressed frustration over allegations that ILLIT, a girl group, has been copying their choreographies. Kim Eun-joo, responsible for choreographing “Attention” and “Hype Boy”, took to her social media on May 13th, questioning the resemblance between ILLIT’s dance routines and those of NewJeans.
She emphasized the importance of modifying choreography when used as a reference, stating that direct replication is akin to copy and paste.
Similarly, Black Q, known for choreographing “Cookie”, “OMG”, and “Super Shy” for NewJeans, shared his disappointment at seeing what he perceives as copied choreography in ILLIT’s recent CF performance. While not explicitly naming ILLIT, his post alluding to a CF choreography sparked speculation among netizens.
The controversy stems from accusations that ILLIT’s dance routines, notably in their debut song “Magnetic”, resemble those of NewJeans. Specific moves from “Ditto” and “OMG” have been noted in ILLIT’s performances, contributing to ongoing criticism of alleged plagiarism.
Netizens have rallied in support of NewJeans’s choreographers, highlighting concerns over originality and the impact of copying in the industry.