A new launched virtual idol group issued an official apology after facing plagiarism accusations. 

On September 23 KST, virtual idol group AFOTS (pronounced ae-potts) released the animated MV for their debut title track, "Summer Rain". 

Soon afterward, many netizens noticed similarities in the concept, musical sound, and the MV storytelling to popular virtual idol group PLAVE's "The 6th Summer", released in August of 2023. 

Furthermore, fans also discovered that AFOTS's production company, SCON, had recruited the same music composing team who worked on PLAVE's "The 6th Summer" as well as the same illustrator who worked on the "The 6th Summer" MV for AFOTS's debut song and MV. 

When outraged fans began mass reporting AFOTS's MV on YouTube, SCON issued a statement of apology on September 26 KST, stating, "Hello, this is the AFOTS management team at SCON. After the release of AFOTS's 'Summer Rain' MV on September 23 KST, a controversy arose over its similarity to PLAVE's 'The 6th Summer'. Because we very much respect PLAVE and were inspired by their work, we admit to the similarities between the two productions. We would like to sincerely apologize to the company and all those affiliated with the production of 'The 6th Summer' and its MV, as well as to the fans of this production."

SCON further admitted that the company hired the illustrator NAKDI for the AFOTS members' character designs, and that it proceeded to use the designs in the MV for "Summer Rain" without informing the illustrator of the design's full use. 

However, despite the requests of PLAVE fans to take down the "Summer Rain" MV, SCON has yet to remove the MV from YouTube. 

Meanwhile, SCON is a well-known virtual character production company, known for its vtuber group meechu.

SEE ALSO: PLAVE donates 50 million KRW (~34,034 USD) to support wildfire recovery