BTS member Jungkook and singer IU have unexpectedly become entangled in plagiarism controversies.
An online media outlet claimed on the 22nd that Jungkook's solo track "Seven" borrowed heavily from the 2000 song "Time of the Mask" by the group Fin.K.L. This media further added that the composer of "Time of the Mask" had submitted evidence to HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), but it had not reached Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
Big Hit Music firmly stated that these allegations are baseless. On the 23rd, the company clarified, "'Seven' was collaboratively composed by Andrew Watt, Jon Bellion, Henry Walter, Theron Makiel Thomas, and Lato. The song is completely unrelated to a domestic album released 24 years ago." They further emphasized that the claim doesn't align with any of the criteria used to determine plagiarism.
Some have voiced that the plagiarism controversy surrounding "Seven" is ludicrous, noting that the two songs are not alike. They also found it hard to believe that foreign composers would plagiarize a K-pop song from 24 years ago. The media outlet that initiated the plagiarism claim, which lacks any major affiliations, deleted their article after Big Hit Music issued their statement.
Similarly, IU has also been caught in ongoing plagiarism rumors, now escalating into a legal confrontation. IU's representatives have vehemently denied these claims, hinting at possible legal action.
In May, IU faced accusations for violating copyright laws on a total of six songs, including "Pink Shoes". A civilian identified as "A" claimed songs such as "Boo", "Good Day", "Pink Shoes", "Bbibbi", and "Celebrity" bore resemblances to foreign tracks.
According to the law firm handling the case, while typically the original copyright holder should file the complaint, they felt IU had profited and massively infringed on copyrights, leading "A" to proceed with the accusation.
IU's agency, EDAM Entertainment, refuted these suspicions. The company stated, "We didn't even participate in the creation of five of the songs, excluding 'Celebrity'." They added, "'Pink Shoes' was once suspected of plagiarism in 2013, but we detailedly clarified its chord progression back then." Renowned composers like Bang Si-hyuk and Kim Hyung-seok have also expressed views that the tracks in question are unlikely to be plagiarized.
The agency not only denied the allegations but also pursued legal countermeasures. EDAM Entertainment conveyed on the 7th, "We have proven that this accusation lacks legal grounds, and we are now awaiting the disposition of the investigative agency."
