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Is LE SSERAFIM’s Tanned Guac concept a copy of Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso? Here's what we know
LE SSERAFIM’s Tanned Guac concept sparks plagiarism accusations, drawing comparisons to Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso amid heated online debate. Read to know more!
With just weeks left until their much-anticipated comeback, LE SSERAFIM has once again captured attention with their latest concept for HOT. Known for pushing creative boundaries with every release, the group introduced a bold new visual theme that aligns with the scorching intensity of their upcoming album. However, instead of simply celebrating the fresh concept, the group has found itself at the center of a plagiarism controversy; one that fans have revealed to be based on manipulated evidence.
On February 23, LE SSERAFIM dropped their newest set of concept images, titled Tanned Guac. The photos featured the members in a sun-drenched desert setting, showcasing deeply tanned skin as a visual representation of summer heat. Among the released images was a striking group photo with stylized yellow text overlaid, seemingly displaying lyrics from their upcoming music.
As with their previous releases, the concept sparked excitement among fans and generated discussion online. However, shortly after the images were shared, accusations of plagiarism surfaced. Some online users claimed that the sunburned aesthetic and stylized text placement resembled promotional material from American singer Sabrina Carpenter’s song, Espresso.
What initially appeared to be a heated debate over artistic originality quickly took a turn when fans uncovered that the evidence used to support the plagiarism claims had been altered.
Specifically, one of the images presented as proof: Sabrina Carpenter’s photo inside a car had no text in its original version. The words had been digitally added to create a misleading similarity to LE SSERAFIM’s promotional materials. This revelation immediately cast doubt on the credibility of the accusations, leading many to suspect that the controversy was manufactured to incite hate against the group.
Additionally, fans were quick to highlight that tanned-skin photography, sunburnt aesthetics, and overlaid text are not exclusive to any single artist. Many pointed to past examples, including the viral Heat Stroke photoshoot and numerous fashion campaigns, to emphasize that such visuals have been widely used in various forms of media long before either LE SSERAFIM or Sabrina Carpenter’s projects.
Supporters of both LE SSERAFIM and Sabrina Carpenter joined forces in denouncing the spread of misinformation, urging social media users to verify sources before jumping to conclusions.
LE SSERAFIM plagiarism controversy: Hot Fire teaser gets compared to Mugler's Anok Yai video; leaves netizens divided
