Photo Credit: NewJeans – “ETA” Official Music Video (YouTube)
NewJeans, label ADOR, and parent company HYBE face a copyright infringement lawsuit for allegedly lifting from an earlier track for their hit “ETA.”
A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California accuses K-pop girl group NewJeans, their label ADOR, and parent company HYBE of lifting key instrumental components for their 2023 global hit single, “ETA.”
Publisher All Surface Publishing claims that “ETA” contains syncopated melodic horns, bass drums, and rhythmic structures that are “virtually identical” to “Samir’s Theme.” This was a foundational 2005 Baltimore club dance track released by DJ Debonair Samir.
According to the lawsuit, All Surface Publishing isn’t the first entity to point out the similarities. Indeed, multiple outlets noted the similarities between the two tracks when NewJeans released their song in 2023.
All Surface Publishing claims it sent a cease-and-desist letter to the defendants last month, but a resolution could not be reached. Now, the publisher is seeking financial damages as well as a portion of the “significant” revenue generated by “ETA” and its viral popularity.
But NewJeans isn’t the first artist to be slapped with litigation over the unauthorized use of “Samir’s Theme.” The publisher sued Pitbull’s label, Mr. 305 Inc., back in 2024 for allegedly lifting aspects of the earlier track for his 2021 hit “I Feel Good.” The two parties reached a settlement last year.
Meanwhile, the timing couldn’t be worse for NewJeans and ADOR, who remain locked in courtroom combat over the girl group’s attempt to cut ties with ADOR and HYBE two years ago after the firing of ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin.
NewJeans is rumored to be preparing for a reunion after a South Korean court ruled in October that its members must remain under an exclusive contract with ADOR/HYBE until 2029. But the five-member group will become a four-member group, as Danielle was formally dropped from the group in December. Now, she faces her own legal challenges for her alleged role in the group’s attempted mutiny.
Earlier this month, ADOR’s legal team alleged that Danielle had independently signed an unapproved and overlapping management contract with a Chinese-backed company. The idol’s defense team has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “distorted” and “maliciously exaggerated” attempts to influence public opinion.
