ADOR, an affiliate label under HYBE, South Korea's leading entertainment agency, faces controversy over similarities between NewJeans' upcoming track "Bubble Gum" and a song from a British band 42 years ago.
The industry is closely monitoring the situation following allegations made by ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, who asserts that ILLIT, a new girl group under HYBE's BELIFT LAB, has allegedly plagiarized NewJeans. NewJeans is set to return with "Bubble Gum" on May 24 KST.
Recent discussions on YouTube and online communities highlight comparisons between NewJeans' "Bubble Gum" and the 1982 track "Easier Said Than Done" by the British jazz punk band Shakatak. Some comments suggest striking similarities, with debates surfacing about potential plagiarism.
The composer behind "Bubble Gum," has previously crafted hit songs for NewJeans, including "Attention," "Hype Boy," and "Ditto."
ADOR has yet to release an official statement addressing the controversy. According to industry sources, there's no indication that the song in question was sampled.
During a press conference on April 25, CEO Min asserted, "ILLIT is emulating NewJeans across various entertainment aspects, from hair and makeup to choreography and visuals." She emphasized ADOR's stance against any unauthorized replication of NewJeans' achievements by any entity, including HYBE and BELIFT LAB, stating, "It's not about defamation towards ILLIT; it's about responsible adults. Each group should retain its distinct identity, as merely imitating NewJeans would be detrimental to their individuality."
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There were many idol groups who have debuted with similar concepts in the past, but no one has thrown a fit claiming their identities were taken or robbed. While debut styles may appear to have striking similarities, we've seen how groups grow into their own colour and personalities. 2ne1 vs 4 Minute, Apink vs Girl's Day, MBLAQ vs BEAST, Oh My Girl vs Lovelyz etc. Ador's obsessive fault-finding with ILLIT is ACTUALLY creating more buzz for ILLIT.
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