“That looks exactly like BLACKPINK’s logo”—ILLIT’s new teaser is quickly turning heads for the wrong reasons.
The group’s upcoming mini album MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, set for April 30th, is already facing plagiarism claims after its teaser image—first revealed at a concert—drew immediate comparisons to BLACKPINK’s debut-era logo.
ILLIT shared the teaser during their March 15th concert, “ILLIT LIVE ‘PRESS START♥︎’ IN SEOUL,” at Ticketlink Live Arena. The short clip showed the album title in bold text inside a rectangular frame—a design some fans say looks strikingly similar to BLACKPINK’s early branding.
The reaction was swift. Side-by-side comparisons spread across social media, with comments like “That’s literally BLACKPINK’s logo,” “carbon copy,” and “not even subtle.”
Some critics also pointed to past allegations around ILLIT’s concept and choreography, tying the moment to ongoing comparisons to NewJeans.
Others pushed back, arguing the similarity may be exaggerated—citing LED lighting distortion and noting that box frames and bold typography are common in K-pop, not unique to BLACKPINK.
The debate has even made international headlines. Sportskeeda highlighted the divided reactions with the title “Internet divided as ILLIT’s ‘MAMIHLAPINATAPAI’ cover sparks plagiarism claims amidst ongoing controversies,” while Koreaboo summed it up with, “Here we go again.”
The album title itself comes from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego, referring to wordless, shared look between two people who both desire to initiate something, but are reluctant to do so. The word was recognized in the 1994 Guinness Book of World Records as the “most succinct word.”
So far, neither Belift Lab nor ILLIT has addressed the controversy—but with their comeback approaching, attention is already building.
>> ILLIT’s Agency Sues NewJeans Fan Account Run by Minor for Defamation
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