ADOR Denies SHATAKAK's Allegations That NewJeans 'Bubble Gum' Was Plagiarized

ADOR has denied the allegations by British band SHAKTAK claiming NewJeans's song "Bubble Gum" plagiarized the group.

It was recently revealed that the British band SHAKTAK has hired a domestic law firm and sent a certified letter demanding that the ADOR girl group NewJeans cease the use of their song "Bubble Gum." They also demanded their company pay damages due to allegations of plagiarism.

In response, NewJeans' agency, ADOR, has denied the unauthorized use of the song.

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According to South Korean news outlet Munhwa Ilbo's investigation, the British Wise Music Group sent an official Letter of Claim in mid-June, addressing ADOR, to its parent company HYBE, as well as the Korea Music Copyright Association, Sony Music Publishing Hong Kong Limited (Korea branch), and four other recipients.

The law firm, representing Wise Music Group, which holds the rights to SHAKTAK's song "Easier Said Than Done," claimed in the document that NewJeans' song "Bubble Gum," written by 250, Oscar Bell, Sophie Simmons, and Gigi, infringes on their copyright. They demanded the immediate cease of the use of "Bubble Gum" and other actions to address the issue.

The document further specified, "Please be aware that the demands include cessation of use, reporting of profits, change of rights holder, written assurance, and compensation for damages. Comply with these demands within the specified period (seven days) and notify Wise Music Group directly."

SHAKTAK's document argued that "Bubble Gum" and "Easier Said Than Done" share the same rhythm and melody hook, use similar electronic guitar and bass elements, and have practically identical rhythms. They also noted that "Easier Said Than Done" has a tempo of approximately 104 BPM, while "Bubble Gum" is about 105 BPM, with both songs having very similar harmonies.

In response to these claims, ADOR acknowledged the receipt of the certified letter from SHAKATAK on June 17 and stated that the legal team representing the publishers of "Bubble Gum" replied on June 21. ADOR stressed that "Bubble Gum" did not use SHAKTAK's composition without permission and requested a credible analytical report to prove the plagiarism claim.

ADOR noted that SHAKTAK's side promised to provide the report soon, but it has not yet been received. They emphasized that the burden of providing proof lies with SHAKTAK, as they are the ones who accused NewJeans of plagiarism.

Munhwa Ilbo attempted to contact the law firm representing SHAKTAK multiple times to get their response to ADOR's claims, but no reply has been received.

The controversy began on April 27, after NewJeans released the music video for "Bubble Gum." At the time, allegations arose that it was similar to SHAKTAK's "Easier Said Than Done." SHAKTAK responded through their official account, stating, "we'll look into this. it is v similar."

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Written by Alexa Lopez