According to Maeil Business Star Today on July 25, American children’s music composer Johnny Only (real name Jonathan Robert Wright) sued The Pinkfong Company (formerly SmartStudy) in 2019, claiming that their global hit “Baby Shark” plagiarized his original work of the same name.
Johnny Only argued that his version of Baby Shark was a derivative work —one that added unique rhythms and arrangements to a North American folk tune, thus granting him copyright protection. He sought damages for copyright infringement.
However, The Pinkfong Company refuted the claim, asserting that their song was independently arranged based on a traditional children’s song and bore no connection to Johnny Only’s version.
The Seoul District Court dismissed Johnny Only’s claims, stating: “It’s insufficient to acknowledge that the plaintiff’s song added new creative elements to a folk tune. Even if it were original, the defendant’s work does not appear to infringe on that copyright.”
The appellate court upheld the decision, ruling that Johnny Only’s version did not qualify as a derivative work under Korean copyright law. The plaintiff then escalated the case to the Supreme Court, which will now announce its decision two years after the appeal.
Attorney Jung Kyung-seok of law firm LIWU, representing Johnny Only in Korea, commented via his YouTube channel: “Just because the court has taken time to deliberate doesn’t necessarily mean the ruling will be reversed.”
Released in 2015 via Pinkfong, “Baby Shark” became a global sensation, known for its repetitive “ddu-du ddu-du” lyrics and addictive rhythm. The accompanying Pinkfong Baby Shark Dance ranks as the most-viewed video on YouTube, and the song has charted for 20 consecutive weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the UK’s Official Chart for most-streamed music video.
Meanwhile, on July 24, Johnny Only released a new remix titled “Baby Shark Kids Remix (feat. Johnny Only)” in collaboration with Korean EDM DJ SEFO, reigniting public interest in the legal drama just weeks before the final ruling.
Daum
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