Following an article that pointed out the similarities between NewJeans’ “Bubble Gum”and another song, netizens have expressed their discontent with HYBE, with many accusing the multi-label company of engaging in media manipulation. Here’s the full story.
On May 12, the online forum titled “NewJeans’ ‘Bubble Gum’ Plagiarism Controversy Article (Original Video Vs. Rebuttal Video)“was flooded with netizens.
The author shared a deleted article from Korean media in the thread, which addressed the plagiarism allegations surrounding NewJeans’ song “Bubble Gum.”
The headline of the article was also “Plagiarism or Sampling? NewJeans Faces Unfortunate News Again as Bubble Gum Receives Accusations of Similarities. What Will Happen to Min Hee Jin, Who Spoke Out Against Imitation?“
The following was shared by OP:
“The aftermath of the internal feud between HYBE and ADOR has overshadowed NewJeans’ comeback. During the ongoing battle, NewJeans’ newly released song has sparked controversy due to similarities to another song, starting a heated debate among netizens.
On the 12th, a post titled, ‘Is NewJeans Plagiarizing?’ appeared in online communities. It also included a YouTube video called ‘Comparison of similarities: NewJeans’ Bubble Gum and Shakatak’s ‘Easier Said Than Done.’
The YouTube video was posted on the 11th. The video compared “Bubble Gum,”which was composed by 250 and others in 2024, to “Easier Said Than Done”by Bill Sharpe & Roger Odell in 1982.
The reference introduced Shakatak as a British jazz-funk band in the 1980s and is still active today. Regarding the composer of ‘Bubble Gum,’ the YouTuber mentioned that 250 had composed NewJeans’ hit songs ‘Attention,’ ‘Hype Boy,’ and ‘Ditto.’
Although proper crediting should be given to the original creators during sampling, the YouTuber highlighted that the sampled records were unspecified, which indicated a lack of proper acknowledgement.
The Youtuber also stated, ‘Please focus on the music comparison and refrain from harsh criticism towards the singers and composers.’
The YouTuber also cleared out that the channel doesn’t produce revenue since all videos are subject to copyright and only serves as a platform for porting plagiarism in the Korean music industry.”
The article concluded by mentioning the mixed reactions from netizens regarding the comparison. While some argued that the two songs shared similarities, others vehemently denied the accusations.
Additionally, OP disclosed that “Easier Said Than Done”has utilized samples from more than 13 songs without proper credit, implying that the song is readily accessible.
Following the removal of the article, internet users expressed their opinions online and accused HYBE of targeting Min Hee Jin and NewJeans. Here is a summary of their responses:
- “I get disgusted every time HYBE media plays this way. Just stop already. Just come face-to-face and engage in a fight instead of always attacking from the back, you ugly things.”
- “Seriously, they are just so ugly and disgusting. HYBE, screw off.”
- “They are trying so hard to try to find something to scratch. They already know it’s sampling but pretend like they don’t and make it seem like they stole it away.”
- “This is disgusting. Honestly, these ahjussis make me barf.”
- “This makes me realize just how hard they are trying to get rid of NewJeans.”
- “They are really trying to throw NewJeans away.”
- “Their intentions are just so obvious that it’s just funny at this point.”
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