Things have been anything but quiet for NewJeans lately. Just when fans thought the group’s long-running issues with ADOR and HYBE were finally slowing down, another controversy has entered the chat and this time, it involves a plagiarism lawsuit tied to their 2024 track How Sweet.
According to Billboard, four musicians have now officially filed a lawsuit in a US court, accusing NewJeans and ADOR of copying parts of an unreleased demo track they had submitted earlier this year. The songwriters named in the case are Audrey Armacost, Aidan Rodriguez, Adam Gokcebay and Michael Campanelli.
As per the legal filing, the writers claim they were contacted through their publisher in January 2024 and were invited to submit music that could potentially be
used for a NewJeans release. The team allegedly created a demo track titled One of a Kind, which included original lyrics and melody ideas intended for the group.
However, according to the lawsuit, the writers were later informed that their submission had not been selected.
The issue reportedly began after How Sweet was eventually released. The four songwriters now allege that the first verse of the track bears strong similarities to their unreleased demo. Through the lawsuit, they are seeking official songwriting credits on the song as well as a share of the royalties earned from the release.
So far, neither ADOR nor HYBE Labels has publicly responded to the allegations.
The lawsuit arrives during an already messy period for the group and its agency. Over the past year, NewJeans has remained caught in an ongoing dispute involving ADOR and HYBE, with legal battles and contract-related issues dominating headlines in the K-pop industry.
The situation reportedly reached a major turning point in October last year when a court ruled in favour of ADOR, stating that the exclusive contracts between the agency and the members were still legally valid.
Since then, reports suggest some members have gradually resumed activities under the label. According to reports, Haerin, Hyein and Hanni have returned to ADOR following the court decision.
At the same time, uncertainty reportedly still surrounds other members. Reports claim Danielle’s exclusive contract was terminated, while discussions regarding Minji’s future activities with the company are still ongoing. ADOR reportedly stated as recently as May 7 that conversations regarding her status are continuing.
