(G)I-DLE’s ‘Super Lady’ MV Sparks Controversy: Tribute or Overdone Borrowing from Other Artists?

On January 29, (G)I-DLE dropped “Super Lady” MV and unleashed the 2nd full album “2”. This return comes almost a year after “Queencard”. “Super Lady” MV, as revealed by Soyeon, came with a whopping budget of 1.1 billion won, marking it as (G)I-DLE’s most expensive MV. 

“Super Lady” sends a message about women’s pride, beauty, and power. “Super Lady” boasts a powerful, dynamic arrangement with distinct verses. Some listeners have pointed out similarities between the final verse of “Super Lady” and T-ARA’s “Sugar Free” from 2014. The melodic resemblance once again leads to criticism of Soyeon, who produces (G)I-DLE’s songs.

Thanks to the hefty budget, “Super Lady” MV makes a lasting impression, with viewers feeling awestruck by the warrior outfits and a multitude of backup dancers, creating a mega crew stage. However, “Super Lady” seems to take a bit too much inspiration from some iconic MVs.

Visually, the warrior concept isn’t groundbreaking, but (G)I-DLE’s unique approach inevitably draws comparisons to iconic Kpop 2nd gen MVs like “Genie” by Girls’ Generation, “I Am The Best” by 2NE1, or the queen bee vibes of Beyoncé. 

Additionally, keen-eyed viewers have noticed parts of “Super Lady” that resemble the set design from Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” The dance break gives off vibes from BLACKPINK’s “Kill This Love” and “How You Like That.” Moreover, some details are being pointed out for resembling MVs by Red Velvet, Wonder Girls, or Everglow.

This isn’t the first time (G)I-DLE’s MV has been compared to other works. Previously, the group’s MV for “Allergy” was also seen as resembling “Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Side to Side” by Ariana Grande, or “Anti Hero” by Taylor Swift. Back then, many fans defended the group, saying (G)I-DLE only drew inspiration and paid homage to other artists. 

Source: K14