[Accused of Copying ILLIT] NewJeans' New Teaser Sparks Controversy, Hyein's Shoes Become a Hot Topic

NewJeans' latest teaser has just been released, but it has unexpectedly stirred up controversy. The group recently dropped new visuals for '2026 Summer of NewJeans,' signaling a fresh start to their activities. However, some fans noticed that the content appears to have similarities to past material from HYBE's other girl group, ILLIT. The discussion has since escalated, focusing on the creative director and even styling details.

2026 Summer Project Unveiled, Fans Notice Creative Team Connection

NewJeans' '2026 Summer of NewJeans' visuals were originally part of their comeback activities. However, external discussions haven't just focused on the members' return. Some fans pointed out that the creative director behind this wave of NewJeans teasers is reportedly the same person who previously produced content for ILLIT, leading to dissatisfaction. Others are calling for the group to collaborate with their previous creative team again.

One netizen posted on X, questioning: "Why is ILLIT's director working with NewJeans now??" directly highlighting fans' queries about changes in the behind-the-scenes team.

Hyein's Shoes Accused of Being a 'Copy,' Controversy Further Escalates

The controversy subsequently intensified due to a styling detail. Fans pointed out that NewJeans member Hyein appeared to be wearing the same shoes in the teaser that ILLIT member Wonhee had previously worn in her own teaser, further expanding the discussion about similarities between the two groups.

The same netizen then reposted relevant comparison content on X, writing: "Oh, this is really over now." The post made the shoe detail one of the hot topics among fans.

This detail quickly spread among fans, with some further accusing the company of deliberately harming NewJeans' group identity and image.

One netizen posted on X: "Having ILLIT and NewJeans share directors is no accident. HYBE is deliberately homogenizing their visual teams to erase plagiarism claims and forcibly establish a standardized 'company style.' They want to blur the lines so that no one can tell the difference anymore."

Another netizen questioned: "They want to use these similarities to piggyback on NewJeans' popularity. Now that they're in control, they don't even need to hide it, plus they've already had successful concept validations through KATSEYE, LSF, and ILLIT."

Another netizen simply wrote: "We can see it," along with relevant images, continuing the discussion about the visual similarities between the two groups.

Some See It as Deliberate Comparison, Even Describing It as a 'Humiliation Ritual'

Regarding this styling choice, some believe it's a deliberate attempt to make the two groups comparable, while others have described it as a "humiliation ritual."

One netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, writing: "This... next up is bad EDM music? I've been saying that talented groups like KATSEYE shouldn't get this kind of music. So now HYBE is deliberately messing them up? This is so generic, full of wooden bunnies and silly doodles."

Currently, the controversy continues to center on the similarities between NewJeans and ILLIT: whether it's merely a natural coincidence or a deliberately arranged detail by HYBE, given the existing tensions between the two groups, remains a hot topic of discussion.