ADOR addresses 'Bubble Gum' plagiarism allegations with strong rebuttal

AKP STAFF

On July 23 KST, ADOR took to their official social media to address the plagiarism allegations surrounding NewJeans' "Bubble Gum" They released a lengthy statement to clarify the distorted facts.

Previously, NewJeans' "Bubble Gum" faced allegations of plagiarizing a song by the British band Shakatak. In response, ADOR stated, "The similarity is limited to a short melodic progression, which is a common feature in many pop songs" denying the plagiarism claims.

Below is the full statement from ADOR:

Hello, this is ADOR.

We are always grateful to the fans who cherish and love NewJeans.

Having successfully wrapped up the eventful three months of activities from the release of "Bubble Gum" music video on April 26 to last week's "Supernatural" music show performance, we are thrilled to celebrate NewJeans' second anniversary.

From broadcast activities in Korea and Japan to the Tokyo Dome fan meeting, we have deeply felt the love from fans who support NewJeans on various stages.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to NewJeans members, all the staff, and everyone who helped ensure that all schedules proceeded without a hitch, even in the face of unexpected difficulties. We are especially thankful to the Bunnies for their support.

However, we are also aware of concerns about the spread of misinformation through the media and social networks.

To correct these distorted facts, we would like to address the following:

Facts about the 'Bubble Gum' Plagiarism Allegations

On May 20, we received an email from HYBE regarding a similarity issue raised by Edition Korea, the Korean representative of Shakatak's agency, Wise Music Group, concerning the "Bubble Gum" music video released on April 26 .
On May 21, our "Bubble Gum" composers responded, stating they had never heard "Easier Said Than Done" by Shakatak before the issue was raised, and therefore did not use Shakatak's composition without permission.
Given the potential for misinformation due to our ongoing dispute with HYBE since May 13, ADOR had already requested professional analysis from two renowned overseas musicologists.
On June 17, we received a letter of content from Shakatak's domestic legal representative, and on June 21, we officially responded, requesting a credible analysis report to prove the unauthorized use, reiterating that we did not use Shakatak's composition without permission.

Explanation

The two songs, "Bubble Gum" and "Easier Said Than Done," differ in chord progression (D Major9 x2- C# minor7 - F# minor7), BPM, overall mood, and flow. The allegation of unauthorized use is unfounded, and the similarity is limited to a short melodic progression, which is common in many pop songs across various genres. Therefore, we strongly refuted the plagiarism allegations and requested a credible analysis report from the claimant.

Requesting a report to determine the similarity of compositions is a standard and normal procedure in such cases. However, some media outlets have misunderstood and portrayed our request for a report as an unethical demand, which we regret.

When there is no issue, the proper procedure is to clarify through appropriate channels, rather than hiding or negotiating behind the scenes. This ensures that the formal process is followed, even if it raises questions about our actions.

Issues with HYBE Handling ADOR's PR and Legal Affairs

Some media have highlighted issues with how the matter has been handled by HYBE, which manages ADOR's PR and legal affairs.

Despite following standard procedures, some articles have ignored the ongoing process and painted ADOR as responding in an unusual manner, spreading exaggerated and biased reports without verifying facts.

Some media outlets have used this to create negative issues unrelated to the matter, distorting NewJeans' recent achievements in Japan with false information and quoting unverified sources.

Additionally, we question HYBE's approach in handling this issue. Shakatak initially raised the issue via HYBE's email account, which should have been shared with the relevant label and coordinated accordingly. However, HYBE disseminated this sensitive matter across multiple departments without ADOR's consent, unnecessarily expanding the scope of the response. They have shown a passive and indifferent attitude, leading to continuous disputes.

With PR and legal functions centralized in HYBE rather than individual labels, protecting NewJeans from various controversies falls under HYBE's purview. ADOR has repeatedly called for service improvements.

ADOR's Efforts to Resolve the Issue

Given the situation, ADOR is doing its best to resolve the issue independently.

The matter is being handled by ADOR and NewJeans' music team, Beast and Natives, and the legal department of the publisher representing the composers. ADOR is monitoring articles to correct any misinformation.

We are also working to combat malicious comments and reverse viral attacks. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin personally requested a meeting with DC Inside CEO Kim Yoo Sik to discuss measures against malicious commenters, despite receiving feedback from HYBE's legal team that tracking "floating" malicious commenters is challenging.

Through this meeting, we learned about the agency hotline and close collaboration with investigative agencies to track anonymous users' malicious comments, contrary to the belief that it is difficult to catch such activities.

We are taking all necessary steps to eradicate anonymous malicious comments, ensuring we protect NewJeans through all available means, even if it takes time.

After completing the current activities successfully, NewJeans will take a break for recharging and prepare to return with a new image. However, we will continue to surprise fans with exciting schedules and content.