KPopstarz Editorial: Accusations In YouTube Clip That SHINee's 'Dream Girl' Plagiarized Luis Miguel's 'Vuelve' Are Flimsy At Best [VIDEO]

A YouTube clip alleging that the SHINee song "Dream Girl" plagiarizes "Vuelve" by Luis Miguel, has received thousands of views since being posted last month.

The plagiarism charge stems from the idea that the vocal hook of SHINee's recent hit is a direct rip-off of Miguel's song "Vuelve" from his 2003 album "33."

It is an accusation that simply isn't true.

While the phrasing in the choruses of both songs in similar, it is clear on first listen that the notes--the actual melody--of the "Dream Girl" hook is completely different from "Vuelve."

The remainder of "Dream Girl" melody bears no resemblance to "Vuelve."

Additionally, the chord structure and rhythmic accompaniment in SHINee's hit has nothing in common with Miguel's song. Even the chords of the section of "Vuelve" in question, the chorus, is completely different.

So what exactly did "Dream Girl" composers Hyuk Shin, Jordan Kyle, Ross Lara, Dave Cook, DK and Anthony Crawford plagiarize from "Vuelve"?

The answer is nothing.

The similarity between "Dream Girl" and "Vuelve" is likely a coincidence, and even if it isn't, there is simply not enough of a similarity between the two songs for there to be any legal standing for plagiarism charges.

"For a song to be considered plagiarized in legal terms, four bars must be completely the same," a composer told the website Osen after reviewing the two compositions in question. "If you compare the two songs, you can't say that."

Additionally, the main hook in Miguel's song has been used in other songs before 2003.

The melodic hook in "Dream Girl" is as close to "Vuelve" as it is to the hook of Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love" or even Spinal Tap's "Hellhole."

"Dream Girl" producer Shin Hyuk, who has previously worked with Justin Bieber, told website Chosun that the people who hear a similarity between the two songs or question if SHINee's label SG Entertainment bought the song rights to "Vuelve" are misguided.

"We didn't buy distribution rights, and we didn't sample the song," Hyuk said. "This is purely SM Entertainment's creation. The plagiarism accusations are just opinions of some people."

An SM label executive, as you might expect, agreed with the producer.

"We know that [the plagiarism accusations] have stemmed from some netizens," the exec told Osen, according to AllKpop.com. "We don't think they know what plagiarism is. You can say they're similar, but it's not right to say they are the same."

Yet this is a case where the record label suits have it right.

In order to be litigated, song plagiarism can't be a subtle thing. It needs to be undeniable for charges to be taken seriously. That simply isn't the case with "Dream Girl" and "Vuelve."

As YouTube user mikimika101 wrote Monday evening:

"I'm not hearing it. I only hear the 'Dream Girl' part as similar, but even then it's not close enough to consider the same."

See the video mash-up implying the SHINee song "Dream Girl" plagiarizes "Vuelve" by Luis Miguel and judge for yourself if it really is a rip-off: