Plagiarism claims shake Jungkook's 'SEVEN'
The maknae of BTS, Jungkook, took the world by storm with his debut solo single SEVEN—released on July 14. This song—which is setting new global records—has now come under scrutiny for possible plagiarism, as alleged by Yang Joon-young—the composer of Fin.K.L's Time of Mask—released in 2000. After pointing out resemblances in the primary melody, Yang has requested BTS's agency HYBE for a thorough assessment of the situation. HYBE is yet to release an official statement.
Why does this story matter?
It's no exaggeration that Jungkook's SEVEN song was widely loved by admirers worldwide. So much so, the song made its debut at the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US as well as the Global 200 charts. The song also entered the UK Singles Chart at an impressive third place, becoming the highest-debuting single by a solo Korean artist. However, amid this cascade of accomplishments, the plagiarism row took center stage, coming to light on Tuesday, reportedly.
Jungkook accused of borrowing 'same scale sequence': Reports
As per a Korean media outlet, Yang believes that the SEVEN team has borrowed the "same scale sequence" as the primary melody used in Fin.K.L's Time of Mask song. The composer now awaits HYBE producers and the chairperson Bang Si-hyuk's decision on the matter. It is worth highlighting that the label has responded by stating that the issue "cannot be resolved at the time due to Bang's overseas business trip to the US."
Meanwhile, here's everything about Yang
For starters, Yang had a significant role in crafting the entire album of Fin.K.L's album, SPECIAL, and within this album, the track Time of Mask is one of the major compositions attributed to him. Yang, in a statement to a South Korean media outlet, highlighted that he observed striking similarities between SEVEN and his own composition. Meanwhile, for those unaware, Fin.K.L—a girl group formed under DSP Media in 1998—held immense popularity during the late 1990s and the early 2000s.
When American TikToker allegedly accused Jungkook of plagiarism
Shortly after the release of SEVEN, on July 19, an American music reviewer uploaded a video on TikTok, shedding light on perceived similarities between SEVEN and a TikTok video crafted by a Vietnamese content creator named So Y Tiet. Initially, the TikToker's video was taken jokingly, however, the situation escalated when music reviewer Jarred Jermaine delved into a more in-depth comparison. As the whole dramatic saga unfolded, some ardent fans outright dismissed the claims and discredited the allegations.
