Following the court proceedings involving Min Hee Jin and HYBE Labels, BTS member V addressed the issue involving his own remarks publicly. On February 20, 2026, details emerged that private KakaoTalk messages between V and Min Hee Jin were accepted as evidence in the lawsuit against HYBE. The messages allegedly support claims that ILLIT showed similarities to NewJeans, which became a key point between Min Hee Jin and HYBE’s legal dispute.
“I get it. I saw them and thought.. They are kind of similar,” V shared through KakaoTalk messages.
In response to the legal controversy, V shared a statement on his Instagram Story explaining that the conversation was private and informal. He said that because Min Hee Jin was an acquaintance, he was simply expressing empathy during a casual discussion. He emphasized that he had no intention of taking sides in this legal conflict.
“Because she was an acquaintance of mine, I was sharing empathy, and it was part of a private, everyday conversation. I have no intention of taking sides. However, I am deeply disturbed that this conversation was submitted as evidence without my consent,” the BTS member said.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that HYBE lost its shareholder agreement lawsuit against Min Hee Jin. Among the claims, the court sided with Min Hee Jin and said that her concern regarding ILLIT’s team copying claims could not be considered false information but a valid opinion to express in terms of creative integrity.