South Korea’s renowned girl group, NewJeans (뉴진스), recently made their highly anticipated comeback, dropping a captivating EP featuring two tracks: “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum”. Both tunes immediately caused waves on YouTube, drawing in millions of viewers to their music videos. However, amidst the buzz, one of their songs found itself entangled in a scandal, quickly escalating to viral status on Twitter.
The girl group’s latest track, “How Sweet,” faced immediate controversy when it was accused of plagiarism. A YouTube user uploaded a comparison video featuring three songs, igniting a firestorm of discussion on the Korean forum, Theqoo (더쿠). Korean netizens wasted no time expressing their shock at the striking similarities between the tracks.
The idols came under scrutiny for allegedly plagiarising Malaysian band Midnight Fusic, particularly their track “Summer Love” featuring Lil Asian Thiccie (debuted in September 2022), as well as Filipino singer-songwriter Karencitta and her track “F.U.L.L.Y” featuring Pricetagg. Upon listening to these songs, it became evident to listeners that the rhythm, melody, and lyrics bear striking resemblances. This similarity raises questions about whether it was merely a coincidence or if there are suspicious elements at play.
The revelation sparked outrage among fans and netizens alike. Korean netizens didn’t mince words on Theqoo, with many acknowledging the songs were “completely similar.” One commenter even remarked, “It’s similar, but isn’t that the case with many songs these days?” Meanwhile, the comments on Twitter range from scepticism to outright criticism. Some boldly predicted that NewJeans’ fans would rush to their defense, citing inspiration as an excuse, while others labelled the situation as hypocrisy, accusing the group of unfairly calling out others as copycats.
As of now, neither HYBE nor ADOR has issued an official response to address this controversy. Nevertheless, loyal fans eagerly anticipate a prompt clarification on the matter. Our hope is for an open and sincere statement from either labels as this issue may add to the ongoing controversy surrounding the girl group.
Watch the YouTube comparison video here:
Sources: YouTube, Theqoo, Twitter.
Sabrina Azahar contributed to this article.
