K-pop label ADOR, home to popular girl group NewJeans, has lambasted HYBE and the media in a new statement addressing plagiarism allegations over the quintet’s 2024 single ‘Bubble Gum’.
Today (July 23), ADOR released a statement addressing and denying claims made by English band Shakatak that the writers of NewJeans’ ‘Bubble Gum’ had plagiarised their 1981 hit, ‘Easier Said Than Done’. Per The Korea Times, Shakatak alleged that the two songs share similar melody hooks, instrumentation and tempos, among others.
In its statement, ADOR offered up an analysis of the two songs, claiming that they “differ in their chord progressions… their bpm, and in their overall feeling and movement”. The label also alleged that it is “also difficult to argue that this particular melody is unique to ‘Easier Said Than Done’ because it’s one that was in common use” before the 1981 song’s release.
The K-pop label also criticised “some media outlets” for allegedly “unfairly portraying our request for an analysis from the very people who raised the complaint as an unethical demand”, while not singling out any specific publications.
“This is the formal procedure for responding to such allegations. And although it’s clearly the expected process, it’s hard to understand why ADOR has faced pushback at every turn,” it added. The label also claimed that “some outlets have taken their reporting to extremes” and are “endlessly privileging only on option without verifying their accuracy”.
On this end, ADOR says it has “serious misgivings” about how its parent company HYBE, which handles public relations for the label, has been “tackling the issue when it comes to communicating with the press.
“Despite the highly sensitive nature of the issue, HYBE disseminated the contents across departments without our consent,” ADOR claimed. “Moreover, not only did HYBE not look to work closely alongside us to handle the issue… but they actually demonstrated a lukewarm and even passive attitude towards the issue.”
Earlier this month, K-pop agency Source Music, a subsidiary of HYBE, filed a lawsuit against fellow subsidiary ADOR’s CEO Min Hee-jin. The agency is seeking KRW500million (roughly US$360,000) in damages for defamation and interfering with business.
