Amid the ongoing legal battle between ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and HYBE, Min Hee Jin is now facing accusations of plagiarizing the concept of a 1990s Mexican girl group, Jeans, for NewJeans.
On May 19, 2024, a post titled “What’s the difference between NewJeans and Jeans?” surfaced on the popular South Korean online community forum Nate Pann. The post drew comparisons between NewJeans and JNS (also known as Jeans), a well-known Mexican girl group that debuted in 1996.
Observers noted striking similarities between the music video for “Attention” and Jeans’s “Me pongo mis jeans,” as well as between NewJeans’s “Ditto” and Jeans’s “Dime que me amas.”
Further scrutiny revealed that several elements of Jeans’s choreography appear to be mirrored in NewJeans’s performances.
The most glaring similarities, however, lie in the design of their albums and CDs. During NewJeans’s debut era, their blue-and-white old-school print designs bore a strong resemblance to Jeans’s earlier album designs. The use of similar fonts and logos further fueled the accusations of plagiarism.
The stylistic choices of both groups also appear to overlap significantly. NewJeans’s frequent use of denim in their outfits during their debut era is reminiscent of Jeans’s signature style.
Specific fashion items, such as Hanni’s scarf top in the “Attention” music video, closely resemble outfits worn by Jeans members. Danielle’s iconic space buns have also been suggested to be inspired by the Mexican group.
The plagiarism claims have quickly spread in Mexico, where observers argue that the extensive similarities go beyond coincidence, suggesting that Min Hee Jin may have used Jeans as a reference for NewJeans’s concepts.
Korean netizens have pointed out the irony in these accusations, especially given that Min Hee Jin previously accused ILLIT of copying NewJeans. This perceived hypocrisy has led to widespread mockery and criticism of Min Hee Jin.
