NewJeans' agency refutes plagiarism claim over 'Bubble Gum'

British band Shakatak's copyright manager accused girl group NewJeans of plagiarism over the K-pop quintet's dance track "Bubble Gum," reports said Thursday.

Girl group NewJeans [ADOR]

British band Shakatak's copyright manager accused girl group NewJeans of plagiarism concerning the K-pop quintet's dance track "Bubble Gum," reports said Thursday.

According to reports, British music copyright company Wise Music Group sent a letter of claim to ADOR, HYBE, the Korea Music Copyright Association (Komca) and Sony Music Publishing Hong Kong on June 17, claiming that "Bubble Gum" copied Shakatak's "Easier Said Than Done" (1982) and therefore infringes on the British band's copyright.

The British company argued that "Bubble Gum" has the "Same distinctive melody hook," "Similar instrumentation," "Similar rhythmic shapes" and is "Performed at [an] almost identical tempo," while also carrying a "Very Similar choice of harmony" and "Similar harmonic rhythm."

The company demanded that the Korean rights holders of "Bubble Gum" take the song off the market and pay compensation. Wise Music Group gave the Korean companies seven days to take measures.

ADOR said that it sent a reply on June 21, arguing that it did not copy "Easier Said Than Done" and instead demanded Wise Music Group for "a detailed analysis report from a credible source."

"Shakatak's representative said on June 21 that it will get back to us with the report, but we received no such report," ADOR told reporters. "The party that brings the accusation should be the one handing in the report to prove plagiarism."

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]