Latest news with #Y2K
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
K-Pop Legal Battle: NewJeans vs ILLIT - Accusations of Copying Ignite Fan Fury
The K-Pop Feud That Has Everyone Picking Sides Imagine if two of Bollywood's biggest production houses went to court because one accused the other of copying their movie style. That's exactly what's happening in the K-pop world right now, and it's absolutely wild. Two girl groups - NewJeans and ILLIT - are at the center of a massive legal battle that's got fans arguing on social media, agencies pointing fingers, and the entire Korean entertainment industry watching with popcorn in hand. The drama started when Min Hee-jin, the creative mastermind behind NewJeans, publicly accused the newer group ILLIT of straight-up copying her work. Now ILLIT's agency, BELIFT LAB, is suing Min Hee-jin for ₹180 crore (that's about 20 billion Korean won) because they claim she's spreading lies and damaging their reputation. The court case has turned into a full-blown PowerPoint presentation battle - yes, you read that right - with both sides bringing receipts and evidence to prove their point. BELIFT LAB Says_ "Everything is Fair Game in K-Pop" BELIFT LAB's defense is pretty simple: they're basically saying that Min Hee-jin is acting like she invented everything in K-pop. Their argument is that dance moves, photo styles, and marketing strategies belong to everyone in the industry, not just one person. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indian Investors Are Buying These Dubai Apartments—Here's Why Binghatti Developers FZE Explore Undo Think about it like this - if Shah Rukh Khan claimed he invented the romantic hero pose with arms spread wide, every other Bollywood actor would be in trouble, right? That's exactly what BELIFT LAB is saying about Min Hee-jin's claims. They brought examples showing that NewJeans' famous "hair whip" dance move appears in songs by other groups like ITZY and aespa. They even said that NewJeans' retro Y2K style and mysterious concept is totally different from ILLIT's magical princess theme - like comparing a vintage Bollywood film to a fantasy adventure movie. The agency also threw some serious shade by showing that many things NewJeans did "first" were actually done by older groups like GFRIEND years earlier. It's like saying every romantic comedy copies the same basic formula, but that doesn't make them all the same movie. New Jeans Min Hee-jin Fights Back_ "The Copying is Too Obvious" Min Hee-jin's team isn't backing down though. They're saying that ILLIT didn't just copy one or two things - they copied everything from NewJeans' entire vibe. We're talking about album covers, hairstyles, photoshoot concepts, dance moves, and even the way they promote themselves. Her lawyers pointed out that as soon as ILLIT debuted, fans on social media immediately started commenting "they look like NewJeans" and "this feels familiar." It's like when a new web series comes out and everyone immediately says it reminds them of another popular show - sometimes the similarities are just too obvious to ignore. They're also arguing that this isn't about legal copyright (like claiming someone stole your song), but about calling out what they see as blatant copying. It's more like saying "Hey, your new dance looks exactly like mine" rather than "You legally stole my choreography." The most interesting part? Min Hee-jin's team says she only spoke up because she was being attacked by the bigger company HYBE, and she had to defend herself and her work. It's giving major David vs. Goliath energy.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
ILLIT drags BTS, Jennie, and aespa to refute Min Hee Jin's accusations of copying NewJeans
On July 15, former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin walked free after the court tossed out HYBE's breach of trust accusation, citing 'no criminal evidence.' After a year-long investigation, Seoul's Yongsan Police announced a non-prosecution decision, to which the Bang Si Hyuk-led company fired back with an objection. With NewJeans still caught in the ADOR vs HYBE crossfire, Min's next move was to call out ILLIT. She accused the rookie group of stealing NewJeans' hanbok concept, not just borrowing it, but lifting the look, the mood, and even the moves. BELIFT LAB, ILLIT's agency, has since responded. Also read: NewJeans makes final call on HYBE settlement after reading fans' letters: ADOR issues statement ILLIT, managed by BELIFT LAB (also under HYBE), is a 5th-gen girl group with Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha. The band was formed through the survival show R U Next? and officially debuted earlier this year. During the third court hearing, Min Hee Jin, the former creative force behind NewJeans, told the judge, 'From the styling to the lighting, props, set design, gaze direction of the members, and even the way the photos were framed, ILLIT's hanbok photoshoot looks just like NewJeans'' (via KBIZoom). She also pointed out how the group copied debut strategy, citing NewJeans' first appearance at a Chanel event, and how ILLIT rolled out at a high-profile fashion show soon after. Her legal team claimed even the makeup, hair, and outfits felt lifted, pointing to fans' reactions online, with comments like 'Isn't this NewJeans?' and 'I thought I was looking at a NewJeans update.' Min even flagged choreography, saying ILLIT borrowed sequences from NewJeans' tracks like Attention and Ditto. Also read: Explained: Controversy and drama at Hybe, the K-pop company behind BTS BELIFT Lab fought back the accusations, telling the court that ILLIT's concept is nothing like NewJeans'. They argued that NewJeans leans into a retro Y2K aesthetic with no fixed storyline, while ILLIT follows a 'fantasy princess meets magical girl' theme with its own narrative and world-building. They also pointed out that ILLIT debuted through the reality show R U Next?, where fans saw the journey from day one. In contrast, NewJeans went for a surprise drop, no teasers, no names, just a music video out of the blue, which they called a completely different market strategy. On the hanbok controversy, the agency pushed back hard, saying plenty of K-pop idols have done hanbok shoots in palace backdrops and Min didn't invent the look. 'This claim is baseless and ignores the genre's visual traditions,' they said. As for the choreography, BELIFT Lab argued that moves like hair whips, arm rolls, and sitting poses are standard across K-pop. They cited acts like BTS, Jennie, aespa, G-Dragon, IVE, and ITZY. Letting one group claim ownership over these moves, they warned, would kill creativity and crush fair competition in the industry. While the two seemingly innocent bands are being dragged into the mess, what's really baffling fans is that they've got nothing to do with it. Meanwhile, HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk is now under the scanner, with Korea's financial watchdogs investigating him for allegedly raking in illegal profits during HYBE's 2020 IPO. He skipped out on speaking at a recent hearing, and now it's all going to the prosecutors.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Faxes to apps: CommSec's 30 years of shaping investing
Fiona Bennett started trading in 1996, calling "sell, sell" into her phone at a morning tea surrounded by fellow mothers. "Everyone was teasing me afterwards," she told AAP. "Most people, especially all the mums, didn't have any idea about investing." At the time, Ms Bennett's husband was overseas and had asked her to sell the shares on his behalf. But she soon began trading for herself. "I was very popular at dinner parties and everybody wanted tips." she said. Ms Bennett collected information through newspapers and word-of-mouth and her trades were done over the phone and using fax machines. "It was really hard to know and, trust me, I had a few losses," she said. Now 65, she was one of CommSec's earliest customers. The online trading platform, parented by the CBA, is this week celebrating its 30th anniversary, having paved the way for Australian investors. In 1997, CommSec became the first Australian broker to launch a share trading website, and in 2008, the first to have its own iPhone trading app. The company now facilitates 40,000 trades per day, worth a total of $575 million. It's a far cry from their opening day in 1995, where a total of four trades were put through, worth $75 each. Market analyst Tom Piotrowski started working for CommSec more than 20 years ago, back when the company's team fitted onto a single floor. He has worked through the vast majority of the biggest days on the ASX, entering the company just after the volatile Y2K period, swiftly followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know if it was me turning up that translated to this run of bad luck, but it certainly made it interesting to be a participant in communicating these things to audiences," he said. "It's that type of environment that serves as education for people." The periods acted as catalysts for change according to Mr Piotrowski, who has overcome his camera shyness to feature on television, and social media videos providing information to customers. "I'd never appeared in front of a television camera before I worked with CommSec, that was very obvious to anyone who may have seen my early efforts," he said. "Terror is probably a personal feeling that I experienced quite a bit." CommSec services form just one part of the information now readily available to investors across multiple trading websites and apps. Ms Bennett didn't know any other women who traded when she started, but has noticed a shift with the increase in accessibility. The amount of CommSec investors under 40 have more than doubled over the past 10 years, while the percentage of women who invest has almost tripled over the past five years. "All my children trade, my daughter included," Ms Bennett said. "They're all confident enough to do it, they know what they're doing and they can get more information."
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Faxes to apps: CommSec's 30 years of shaping investing
Fiona Bennett started trading in 1996, calling "sell, sell" into her phone at a morning tea surrounded by fellow mothers. "Everyone was teasing me afterwards," she told AAP. "Most people, especially all the mums, didn't have any idea about investing." At the time, Ms Bennett's husband was overseas and had asked her to sell the shares on his behalf. But she soon began trading for herself. "I was very popular at dinner parties and everybody wanted tips." she said. Ms Bennett collected information through newspapers and word-of-mouth and her trades were done over the phone and using fax machines. "It was really hard to know and, trust me, I had a few losses," she said. Now 65, she was one of CommSec's earliest customers. The online trading platform, parented by the CBA, is this week celebrating its 30th anniversary, having paved the way for Australian investors. In 1997, CommSec became the first Australian broker to launch a share trading website, and in 2008, the first to have its own iPhone trading app. The company now facilitates 40,000 trades per day, worth a total of $575 million. It's a far cry from their opening day in 1995, where a total of four trades were put through, worth $75 each. Market analyst Tom Piotrowski started working for CommSec more than 20 years ago, back when the company's team fitted onto a single floor. He has worked through the vast majority of the biggest days on the ASX, entering the company just after the volatile Y2K period, swiftly followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know if it was me turning up that translated to this run of bad luck, but it certainly made it interesting to be a participant in communicating these things to audiences," he said. "It's that type of environment that serves as education for people." The periods acted as catalysts for change according to Mr Piotrowski, who has overcome his camera shyness to feature on television, and social media videos providing information to customers. "I'd never appeared in front of a television camera before I worked with CommSec, that was very obvious to anyone who may have seen my early efforts," he said. "Terror is probably a personal feeling that I experienced quite a bit." CommSec services form just one part of the information now readily available to investors across multiple trading websites and apps. Ms Bennett didn't know any other women who traded when she started, but has noticed a shift with the increase in accessibility. The amount of CommSec investors under 40 have more than doubled over the past 10 years, while the percentage of women who invest has almost tripled over the past five years. "All my children trade, my daughter included," Ms Bennett said. "They're all confident enough to do it, they know what they're doing and they can get more information." Fiona Bennett started trading in 1996, calling "sell, sell" into her phone at a morning tea surrounded by fellow mothers. "Everyone was teasing me afterwards," she told AAP. "Most people, especially all the mums, didn't have any idea about investing." At the time, Ms Bennett's husband was overseas and had asked her to sell the shares on his behalf. But she soon began trading for herself. "I was very popular at dinner parties and everybody wanted tips." she said. Ms Bennett collected information through newspapers and word-of-mouth and her trades were done over the phone and using fax machines. "It was really hard to know and, trust me, I had a few losses," she said. Now 65, she was one of CommSec's earliest customers. The online trading platform, parented by the CBA, is this week celebrating its 30th anniversary, having paved the way for Australian investors. In 1997, CommSec became the first Australian broker to launch a share trading website, and in 2008, the first to have its own iPhone trading app. The company now facilitates 40,000 trades per day, worth a total of $575 million. It's a far cry from their opening day in 1995, where a total of four trades were put through, worth $75 each. Market analyst Tom Piotrowski started working for CommSec more than 20 years ago, back when the company's team fitted onto a single floor. He has worked through the vast majority of the biggest days on the ASX, entering the company just after the volatile Y2K period, swiftly followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know if it was me turning up that translated to this run of bad luck, but it certainly made it interesting to be a participant in communicating these things to audiences," he said. "It's that type of environment that serves as education for people." The periods acted as catalysts for change according to Mr Piotrowski, who has overcome his camera shyness to feature on television, and social media videos providing information to customers. "I'd never appeared in front of a television camera before I worked with CommSec, that was very obvious to anyone who may have seen my early efforts," he said. "Terror is probably a personal feeling that I experienced quite a bit." CommSec services form just one part of the information now readily available to investors across multiple trading websites and apps. Ms Bennett didn't know any other women who traded when she started, but has noticed a shift with the increase in accessibility. The amount of CommSec investors under 40 have more than doubled over the past 10 years, while the percentage of women who invest has almost tripled over the past five years. "All my children trade, my daughter included," Ms Bennett said. "They're all confident enough to do it, they know what they're doing and they can get more information." Fiona Bennett started trading in 1996, calling "sell, sell" into her phone at a morning tea surrounded by fellow mothers. "Everyone was teasing me afterwards," she told AAP. "Most people, especially all the mums, didn't have any idea about investing." At the time, Ms Bennett's husband was overseas and had asked her to sell the shares on his behalf. But she soon began trading for herself. "I was very popular at dinner parties and everybody wanted tips." she said. Ms Bennett collected information through newspapers and word-of-mouth and her trades were done over the phone and using fax machines. "It was really hard to know and, trust me, I had a few losses," she said. Now 65, she was one of CommSec's earliest customers. The online trading platform, parented by the CBA, is this week celebrating its 30th anniversary, having paved the way for Australian investors. In 1997, CommSec became the first Australian broker to launch a share trading website, and in 2008, the first to have its own iPhone trading app. The company now facilitates 40,000 trades per day, worth a total of $575 million. It's a far cry from their opening day in 1995, where a total of four trades were put through, worth $75 each. Market analyst Tom Piotrowski started working for CommSec more than 20 years ago, back when the company's team fitted onto a single floor. He has worked through the vast majority of the biggest days on the ASX, entering the company just after the volatile Y2K period, swiftly followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know if it was me turning up that translated to this run of bad luck, but it certainly made it interesting to be a participant in communicating these things to audiences," he said. "It's that type of environment that serves as education for people." The periods acted as catalysts for change according to Mr Piotrowski, who has overcome his camera shyness to feature on television, and social media videos providing information to customers. "I'd never appeared in front of a television camera before I worked with CommSec, that was very obvious to anyone who may have seen my early efforts," he said. "Terror is probably a personal feeling that I experienced quite a bit." CommSec services form just one part of the information now readily available to investors across multiple trading websites and apps. Ms Bennett didn't know any other women who traded when she started, but has noticed a shift with the increase in accessibility. The amount of CommSec investors under 40 have more than doubled over the past 10 years, while the percentage of women who invest has almost tripled over the past five years. "All my children trade, my daughter included," Ms Bennett said. "They're all confident enough to do it, they know what they're doing and they can get more information." Fiona Bennett started trading in 1996, calling "sell, sell" into her phone at a morning tea surrounded by fellow mothers. "Everyone was teasing me afterwards," she told AAP. "Most people, especially all the mums, didn't have any idea about investing." At the time, Ms Bennett's husband was overseas and had asked her to sell the shares on his behalf. But she soon began trading for herself. "I was very popular at dinner parties and everybody wanted tips." she said. Ms Bennett collected information through newspapers and word-of-mouth and her trades were done over the phone and using fax machines. "It was really hard to know and, trust me, I had a few losses," she said. Now 65, she was one of CommSec's earliest customers. The online trading platform, parented by the CBA, is this week celebrating its 30th anniversary, having paved the way for Australian investors. In 1997, CommSec became the first Australian broker to launch a share trading website, and in 2008, the first to have its own iPhone trading app. The company now facilitates 40,000 trades per day, worth a total of $575 million. It's a far cry from their opening day in 1995, where a total of four trades were put through, worth $75 each. Market analyst Tom Piotrowski started working for CommSec more than 20 years ago, back when the company's team fitted onto a single floor. He has worked through the vast majority of the biggest days on the ASX, entering the company just after the volatile Y2K period, swiftly followed by the Global Financial Crisis, then most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know if it was me turning up that translated to this run of bad luck, but it certainly made it interesting to be a participant in communicating these things to audiences," he said. "It's that type of environment that serves as education for people." The periods acted as catalysts for change according to Mr Piotrowski, who has overcome his camera shyness to feature on television, and social media videos providing information to customers. "I'd never appeared in front of a television camera before I worked with CommSec, that was very obvious to anyone who may have seen my early efforts," he said. "Terror is probably a personal feeling that I experienced quite a bit." CommSec services form just one part of the information now readily available to investors across multiple trading websites and apps. Ms Bennett didn't know any other women who traded when she started, but has noticed a shift with the increase in accessibility. The amount of CommSec investors under 40 have more than doubled over the past 10 years, while the percentage of women who invest has almost tripled over the past five years. "All my children trade, my daughter included," Ms Bennett said. "They're all confident enough to do it, they know what they're doing and they can get more information."
Black America Web
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Jill Scott's Debut Album Remains Soulful and Authentic 25 Years Later
Source: Marc Fong / other Today, you don't have to ask 'Who Is Jill Scott?', because she has defined herself as a staple of modern-day Rhythm & Blues with her harmonious soulfulness in her music, poetry and even gracing the big screen. But, twenty-five years ago, a then 28-year-old Scott took the world by storm with her innovative debut 'Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol 1.' The summer of Y2K was in an era that was loud and proud, with releases from Britney Spears, 'Oops!… I Did It Again,' and Nelly's 'Country Grammar,' which was the sound of the southern summer. Philly native, Scott, came out in her realm softly, but not in a way that was quiet or inferior– the neo-soul jazziness and poetic lyricism of 'Who Is Jill Scott?' redefined soul and womanhood when it came to love and 'sister girl' experiences in a way that continues to resonate with listeners all these years later from the 'Jilltro' to the very end. The production of 'Who Is Jill Scott?' was by a Touch Of Jazz collective founded by fellow Philly native Jeff Townes, a.k.a. DJ Jazzy Jeff. While the album offers soulful production and instrumentation, Scott herself doesn't shy away from the real when it comes to relationships, from raw sensuality and sexuality, to summer Philly romances, to taking 'A Long Walk' and euphonious descriptions of 'The Way' love feels– her delivery, along with her spoken word pieces, is natural, sweet and demanding. The album feels like a map of Black womanhood and romantic relationships, from the fan-favorite songs such as the heartfelt 'He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)' to the reflective 'Slowly Surely' that navigates leaving a relationship, and the defensive 'Gettin' In The Way.' Even 'Brotha' that often shows the solidarity of standing behind your own, celebrating the Black man. She lifts up their beauty, power even when the world tries to strip it away. The album is layered not only with melodic grooves, but also real life tales from an artist that throughout her expansive career continues to keep it real. Twenty-five years later, 'Who Is Jill Scott?' is still a reflection of authentic experiences– from joy, heartbreat and passion, resonating just as powerfully now as it did back then. SEE ALSO Jill Scott's Debut Album Remains Soulful and Authentic 25 Years Later was originally published on
