NewJeans And ADOR Accused Of Plagiarism By Four Musicians, Lawsuit Filed - All About How Sweet Controversy

K-pop

group NewJeans and their agency ADOR are facing fresh legal trouble after four songwriters accused them of plagiarism over the group’s 2024 track How Sweet. According to the latest reports, the musicians have officially filed a lawsuit in a U.S. court, alleging that portions of the song closely resemble material from an unreleased demo they previously submitted for consideration by the group. The case comes at a time when NewJeans is going through internal and contractual turbulence involving ADOR and parent company HYBE.

Lawsuit against NewJeans

As reported by Billboard, the lawsuit was filed by four songwriters identified as Audrey Armacost, Aidan Rodriguez, Adam Gokcebay, and Michael Campanelli. The writers claimed that in January 2024, they were approached through their publisher and invited to contribute material for a potential NewJeans release.According to the filing, the musicians created and submitted a track titled 'One of a Kind,' which reportedly included both melody and lyrics intended for the group. However, they were later informed that the submission had not been selected for use.

The controversy began after How Sweet was eventually released. The four songwriters now allege that the first verse of the song contains significant similarities to 'One of a Kind.' Through the lawsuit, they are seeking official recognition as contributors to the track as well as a share of the royalties generated from the release.Neither ADOR nor HYBE Labels has publicly responded to the plagiarism allegations at the time of writing. The legal filing has nonetheless intensified scrutiny surrounding the company and the girl group, both of whom have already faced months of public controversy.

NewJeans and its mounting controversies

The lawsuit has come during a particularly turbulent period for NewJeans. The group has largely remained inactive since 2024 following a major contractual dispute involving ADOR and HYBE Labels. The conflict dominated headlines for months and reportedly created uncertainty around the future of the members’ activities. The dispute appeared to reach a turning point in October last year when a court ruled in favor of ADOR, stating that the exclusive contracts between the agency and the members remained legally valid. Since then, some members have gradually resumed activities under the company.

Reports state that Haerin, Hyein and Hanni have returned to ADOR following the court’s decision. However, Danielle’s exclusive contract was reportedly terminated, adding further uncertainty to the group’s future lineup and promotions. Meanwhile, Minji’s status still appears unresolved. ADOR reportedly stated as recently as May 7 that discussions regarding her future activities with the company are ongoing.