SEOUL, May 10 — NewJeans is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit in the United States over allegations that its 2024 track How Sweet copied elements from an outside demo.
Billboard reported that four songwriters, including Audrey Armacost, filed the lawsuit against the group, its agency ADOR and parent company HYBE, seeking a share of royalties.
The plaintiffs claimed that How Sweet contains similarities to their demo One of a Kind, which they submitted for consideration by NewJeans in January 2024 but were later told had not been selected.
The lawsuit alleged that the first verse of How Sweet, released in May 2024, mirrors the structure and melodic progression of their demo and describes the two works as “quantitatively and qualitatively similar.”
The complaint stated that both songs shared the same meter and key and included “an approximately eight‑bar, 31‑note melodic sequence consisting of four series.”
Armacost, along with co‑writers Aidan Rodriguez, Adam Gokcebay and Michael Campanelli, accused HYBE, ADOR, the NewJeans members and other collaborators of using their work without licensing the demo.
They argued that they are entitled to a portion of the royalties generated by what they describe as the “great commercial success” of How Sweet.
The complaint said, “Plaintiffs, as joint authors and co‑owners of the composition of How Sweet, are entitled to their pro rata share of the profits that defendants have each gained from the exploitation of How Sweet.”
Their lawyer, Trevor Barrett, told Billboard that the four writers were “deeply disappointed to discover this blatant copying of their original song” and intend to pursue recognition of their rights through the lawsuit.
ADOR rejected the allegation and said it had verified with Bana (Beasts And Natives Alike), the team behind the song’s production, that no infringement occurred.
The agency said, “ADOR and the members will respond to the lawsuit in accordance with Bana’s position,” according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
