ADOR responds to the copyright lawsuit
ADOR confirmed on Thursday, July 9, 2026, that it is reviewing internal records after reports revealed that NewJeans’ 2023 song “ETA” had been accused of f a copyright infringement in the United States. As per The Korean Herald, music publishing company All Surface Publishing filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, with the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The complaint names NewJeans, HYBE, ADOR, producers 250 and Beenzino, BANA, Apple, and several other parties. The plaintiff claims that “ETA” copied important musical elements from “Samir’s Theme,” such as its horn melody, 16th-note rhythmic structure, and bass drum pattern. That track was released in 2005 by Baltimore club producer DJ Debonair Samir.
The agency begins an internal review
In response to the reports, ADOR explained that the song had been sourced through BANA while former CEO Min Hee Jin was leading the company. The company said it is now reviewing documents to determine whether all required procedures were properly completed before the track’s release.
“We are reviewing internal materials to determine whether the necessary procedures, including an assessment of potential musical similarities, were properly carried out at the time,” the agency said in its official response. ADOR also noted that “Samir’s Theme” was not included in the official songwriting or sampling credits for “ETA.”
The lawsuit adds to previous plagiarism claims
“ETA” was released in July 2023 as part of NewJeans’ second EP, “Get Up.” The mini-album helped the girl group become the first KPop girl group to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, while “ETA.” The new lawsuit is the latest plagiarism claim against NewJeans’ music. In the past, the songs “Bubble Gum” and “How Sweet,” which were also executive-produced by Min Hee Jin, were accused of similar allegations.
