Netizens push back against plagiarism accusations targeting Rosé and Bruno Mars’s ‘APT.’
Netizens are rallying to defend BLACKPINK‘s Rosé against plagiarism accusations targeting her song “APT.” with Bruno Mars.
Media outlets have reported on the alleged plagiarism controversy involving the international hit “APT.,” which has been compared to Miku Sawai‘s 2013 song “Gomen ne, Iiko ja Irarenai.”
The article reads:
“The collaboration song ‘APT.’ by Rosé and Bruno Mars, which is making waves in K-pop, has become embroiled in a plagiarism dispute. The track being compared to ‘APT.’ is ‘Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid’ (ごめんね、いいコじゃいられない。) by Japanese singer-songwriter Miku Sawai, released on November 13, 2013.
The song gained some popularity in Japan, reaching 37th on the Oricon chart. Many have pointed out similarities between the main melody at the 40-second mark of ‘Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid’ and the 33-second mark of ‘APT.’ When ‘APT.’ was adjusted to match the format of ‘Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid,’ the resemblance appeared even more apparent.
Miku Sawai’s song is a lively dance track that captures the rebellious spirit of youth. While the overall intro differs from ‘APT.,’ the main melody plays a significant role in both tracks, fueling ongoing controversy due to the similarities.”
The article further noted:
“One listener commented, ‘Rosé used a tricky melody that could cause problems. Seeing that Tommy Basil and Miki were credited as composers, it seems like Rosé and Bruno Mars were aware of potential plagiarism issues, but the chorus is so difficult to trace back to the original creator. It’s wise to avoid using such melodies because finding the original author can be challenging.'”
In response to the accusations, netizens have come to Rosé’s defense, with many suggesting that HYBE Labels might be behind a media play aimed at undermining other labels’ international hits.
Comments included:
“If HYBE feels wronged, they should reveal all the status reports and prove they didn’t manipulate the charts. LOL”
“HYBE?”
“Is this week’s status report about this? LOL”
“Looks like HYBE is manipulating the charts again.”
“Are they starting again over there?”
“Not buying any manipulation.”
“I suspect this is also the work of that company. LOL”
“They’re working hard to find something to accuse of plagiarism. We should also keep an eye on the media and journalists who publish those articles.”
“They’ve already prepared the manipulation. Just focus on protecting your own artists.”
“They move, and the articles come out first.”
“Just trying to get attention.”
“Totally different. LOL And anyone can see it’s a really simple chord progression.”
“Is this really the time for you guys to be doing this…?”
“Don’t mess with Rosé.”
“Just having a similar chord doesn’t make it plagiarism. It’s a very, very, very common chord progression.”
“…said HYBE.”
“HYBE again? Stop manipulating the charts.”
“Where exactly? LOL”
“Can being 37th on the Oricon chart really be considered popular…?”
“But that melody is a commonly used free source, not just by that Japanese singer, but also in some Lady Gaga songs.”
Netizens also shared their evidence to support their claims, pointing out that “APT.” does not constitute plagiarism by referencing other songs with similar melodies.
Amid the heated controversy surrounding HYBE Labels’ recent reports of leaked internal documents, netizens are generally casting a negative light on the company and harboring distrustful sentiments.
They have also speculated about potential plagiarism issues that HYBE artists could face with their past songs and advised other companies’ artists to avoid participating in short-form dance challenges with HYBE artists at the moment.
Stay tuned for more updates on these issues.
