The members have stirred up heated backlash.
Koreaboo
8 minutes ago
A recently debuted girl group has landed itself in a major controversy after directly mentioning ILLIT and making questionable comments about them during a podcast.
ILLIT | @illit_official/Instagram
The girl group in question is VVS, an independent girl group created by producer Paul Thompson that debuted in 2025.
VVS | @vvssodvs/Instagram
Recently, a clip of two VVS members, Lena and Brittney, talking to Thompson about ILLIT on a podcast went massively viral on X (formerly Twitter). The HYBE girl group was mentioned in the context of a past controversy involving the two groups when VVS’s Instagram account had made posts comparing scenes from their “D.I.M.M” music video to ILLIT’s scenes in the “Iconic By Mistake” music video. This had sparked massive online debates about whether the former group was accusing ILLIT of plagiarism.
During the podcast, Thompson clarified that the intention wasn’t to accuse ILLIT, but just to play with an already circulating comparison between the two girl groups. He mentioned that after “D.I.M.M” was released, VVS was being jokingly referred to as “evil ILLIT” by some netizens. So, when “Iconic By Mistake,” a music video that intentionally played on the “evil” image of ILLIT, was released, he claimed that he posted a screenshot jokingly bringing back the reference to promote VVS’s music video.
im sorry is this not insane a whole interview about illit?? pic.twitter.com/Mhf7bF7EuY
— 𖥨᭪ (@illtes) August 13, 2026
While addressing the backlash that followed, Thompson joked about ILLIT fans having “PTSD” from past events, implying the accusations made against them by former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. The members laughed along, and even joked that “PT” stood for “Paul Thompson” and “SD” for “San Diego.”
Most disgusting group to ever exist. pic.twitter.com/cMcgeqGOaB
— P!whozzz𑁤? | ᥇𝕣ꫀꪖ𝕜 ꫀꪜꫀꪀ𓂃 𓈒𓏸 (@alm0ndchoco1) September 30, 2026
These clips have gone massively viral on social media, bringing yet another wave of criticism for VVS and Thompson. Many interpreted this particular segment as them making fun of ILLIT’s past struggles, and overall, an insensitive jab, given that Moka is still on a hiatus while battling severe anxiety issues.
That’s so disgusting https://t.co/xqqdpiu48o
— ⟭⟬ʚ𝙼𝚊𝚕ɞSAW BTS²⊙⊝⊜𝕊𝔸𝕎 ℍ𝕆𝔹𝕀⟬⟭ ⁷ (@0T7_Love_Kims_M) October 1, 2026
“Gllit are dragging it” Moka is currently on hiatus because her anxiety got so bad it started physically affecting her well-being. You guys think it’s all giggle gaggles and the shit you say on the internet is meaningless but you are genuinely killing people by doing it. https://t.co/NUJhUHWFK6
— Marzipan will BREAK EVEN ୭˚. ᵎᵎ (@yuriyunah) October 1, 2026
what an insensitive thing to say fuck him and those girls too laughing along https://t.co/Uw3HhgHyKj
— ✴︎ (@eomjens) August 13, 2026
It’s fascinating to hear from the CEO of a company how he used ILLIT to promote his nugu group Gllitz Don’t give them attention. https://t.co/5fpfDeiWj4
— sserallit 041 (@MHesrey91) August 13, 2026
However, fans have defended VVS, arguing that the members said nothing inappropriate about ILLIT.
Kpop stan’s are so fucking soft vvs are not even saying anything like why are you so mad that they’re mentioning illit https://t.co/9pMa0SYDns
— cherry flavoured (@electhearts) August 13, 2026
why are y’all acting like vvs had anything to do with this when that man is literally admitting he is behind it
“they’re laughing with him” genuinely i would too, it’s an awkward conversation that’s going to be shared publicly… did you want them to ride or die for illit?! https://t.co/Aew0zOBAkU
— yvoni ꨄ︎ (@itzychella) August 15, 2026
if they don’t clarify it, your fandom gets enraged
now that they addressed it, y’all are still enraged
what do you want from us?????? 😭 https://t.co/RQKEhfa5FO
— ່ (@artbIume) August 14, 2026