Min Hee-jin wins damages lawsuit against Belif Lab and Source Music... Both companies immediately appeal

Min Hee-jin, CEO of OK Records (former CEO of ADORE), won the first trial in a 2.5 billion KRW damages lawsuit filed by HYBE-affiliated labels Belift Lab and Source Music. On the 13th, the Seoul Western District Court dismissed Belift Lab and Source Music’s claims for damages of 2 billion KRW and 500 million KRW respectively against CEO Min. The court also dismissed the counterclaim worth approximately 5 billion KRW that CEO Min had filed against Belift Lab. The court stated that opinions regarding imitation or similarity of creative works should be broadly protected as freedom of expression, and found it difficult to recognize illegality since CEO Min’s statements were closer to subjective evaluations rather than factual assertions. Following the verdict, Belift Lab and Source Music immediately opposed the decision and announced their intention to appeal. Belift Lab expressed regret over the ruling, saying, ″It is very unfortunate that the judgment implies there are victims but no perpetrators,″ and pointed out that their submission of the prosecution opinion report from investigative authorities and request for resumption of arguments were not accepted. Source Music also expressed disappointment and helplessness with the court’s decision, stating, ″We will promptly appeal to correct the unfairness of the first trial ruling, protect our artists, and make every effort to uncover the objective truth.″ On the other hand, OK Records welcomed the judiciary’s reasonable judgment in an official statement released the same day. CEO Min’s side emphasized that the essence lies in the complete dismissal of the 2.5 billion KRW claim, adding, ″We regard the judiciary’s decision as a common-sense judgment against unreasonable legal offensives and shifting of responsibility.″ Meanwhile, as both parties expressed their intention to appeal immediately after the ruling, the legal dispute surrounding CEO Min’s statements will proceed to the second trial.