<p>HYBE, BELIFT LAB, and ILLIT have reportedly lost a damages lawsuit against Fast View, a media company affiliated with several so-called cyber-wrecker YouTube channels. According to reports on May 8, 2026, 2026, the Seoul Western District Civil Division 12 ruled against HYBE and its affiliates in the case. The court also ordered HYBE to pay the defendant’s legal costs.</p>
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<p>HYBE filed the lawsuit in 2024 and sought nearly ₩280 million KRW (about $192,000 USD) in damages. The company accused seven YouTube channels of spreading harmful content about its artists. Additionally, BELIFT LAB and the members of ILLIT later joined the lawsuit as co-plaintiffs. The videos that were the main focus of the case reportedly had claims that ILLIT plagiarized other groups and that HYBE was connected to a specific religious organization. Previously, the agency had filed a criminal complaint with the police and said the claims were not true.</p>
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<p>This case had a major hit on May 8, 2026, with the ruling affecting HYBE’s effort to fight online defamation against their artist roster. In May 2025, a former team leader-level employee at Fast View was referred to the prosecution on charges of defamation and insult under the Information and Communications Network Act. Despite that development, this latest ruling has brought new attention to HYBE, BELIFT LAB, and ILLIT.</p>
