Min Hee-jin, who previously made baseless claims of “copying NewJeans”, now says “Provide an analysis report” when faced with plagiarism allegations

Unlike when she claimed another girl group copied NewJeans without clear evidence, she is now demanding the accuser provide a credible analysis report for the plagiarism allegations against her. The public finds her double standards puzzling.

According to a report by Munhwa Ilbo on July 18th, the UK’s Wise Music Group, which holds the rights to Shakatak’s song “Easier Said Than Done”, appointed a domestic law firm last month and sent official complaints to six entities, including ADOR.

Shakatak’s basis for the plagiarism claim includes five points: same distinctive melodic hook, similar instrumentation, similar rhythmic shapes, similar tempo (104 BPM for “Easier Said Than Done” and 105 BPM for “Bubble Gum”), and very similar choice of harmony.

Additionally, Shakatak demanded that ADOR confirm and comply with requests for cessation of use, reporting of profits, changes in rights holders, written guarantees and compensation for damages within 7 days, warning of legal action.

In response to the controversy, ADOR acknowledged receiving the letter on June 17th and replied on June 21st. They stated, “’Bubble Gum’ did not use Shakatak’s composition without permission, and we requested a credible analysis report on this matter.” They mentioned that Shakatak had agreed to provide a report but had not yet done so. ADOR emphasized that the burden of proof lies with Shakatak to send a report proving plagiarism.

While it is natural for the accuser to provide evidence in a plagiarism dispute, ADOR’s stance contrasts with Min Hee-jin’s earlier accusations against another girl group for allegedly imitating NewJeans.

The conflict between CEO Min and HYBE initially arose due to claims that a HYBE girl group was copying NewJeans. CEO Min’s evidence was primarily based on stylistic similarities and concept photos, choreography and content that she claimed resembled NewJeans. However, these claims lacked clear evidence and were based on subjective judgments like “reminds of NewJeans” or “similar to what NewJeans did”.

The grounds for her accusations were also questionable. Using traditional Korean clothing for photo shoots is common for rookie idols around national holidays, and self-produced content is widespread among idols. Additionally, choreography is not considered a copyrighted work, and styling similarities are too vague to support claims of plagiarism. Despite the lack of clear evidence, CEO Min held an urgent press conference, directing all criticism towards the accused girl group.

Currently, ADOR is demanding Shakatak provide clear evidence of plagiarism. This is a reasonable request as ADOR seeks to clear their name. However, CEO Min’s earlier approach to plagiarism accusations against others, without following proper procedures, casts a negative light on ADOR’s current demands. Given the global attention on NewJeans, any confirmed plagiarism could lead to significant repercussions.