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NewJeans' Bubble Gum gets accused of plagiarism by British band Shakatak; latter demands compensation in complaint letter
NewJeans has been accused of plagiarizing British Band Shakatak’s song in Bubble Gum. The band has sent a certification letter to a Korean law firm demanding that the group should stop using the song.
NewJeans released Bubble Gum as a B-side track for their second single album, How Sweet. Though the summery vibe in the track was well-loved by the fans, the group is now facing plagiarism accusations from a British band named Shakatak. The English band has sent a certification letter demanding that the group should stop using the song and compensate for the damages.
British band accuses NewJeans of plagiarism in Bubble Gum
On July 18, Korean media outlet Muhhwa Ilbo reported that English band Shakatak had sent a certification letter to a Korean law firm regarding the alleged plagiarism in NewJeans’ Bubble Gum. The band has asked the group to stop using the song and compensate for the damages done so far.
Further details by Munhwa Ilbo revealed that Wise Music Group, a British label, sent an official letter stating the claims in mid-June, addressing ADOR, its parent company HYBE, the Korea Music Copyright Association, and Sony Music Publishing Hong Kong Limited (Korean branch).
The law firm shared that they were delivering the letter of claim at the request of the British Music label. In the document, Wise Music Group stated that NewJeans had allegedly plagiarized Shakatak’s 1981 song Easier Said Than Done in Bubble Gum.
Since the British label holds the copyright to the band’s track, they claimed that the group is committing infringements. They demanded immediate measures, including that the group immediately stop using the song.
British band Shakatak says NewJeans' Bubble Gum has similar contents as its 1981 song
Shakatak’s side further stated in the document that NewJeans’ Bubble Gum contains the same rhythm, notes, composition, and even the unique melody hook as Easier Said Than Done.
The band also claimed that the usage of instruments in Bubble Gum, like electric guitar and bass, is the same as in their 1981 song. They further said that the rhythm progressions in both songs are identical and the K-pop group chose very similar harmonies to Shakatak’s song as the reasons for unauthorized use.
In the letter of claims, they also mentioned that the tempo in Easier Said Than Done is 104 BPM, whereas Bubble Gum has 105 BPM, which is quite similar.
ADOR asks for reports proving plagiarism
In response to these claims, NewJeans’ label, ADOR, revealed that Bubble Gum’s author and publishing team's legal team had already replied to Shakatak on June 21. They further stated that the group has never used the song without permission, requesting a credible analysis report on this to be submitted. According to Munhwa Ilbo, an ADOR representative, the report from Shakatak’s side proving the plagiarism hasn’t arrived yet.
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