BTS' 'Swim' hit with copyright lawsuit in US; Big Hit Music vows firm response

"Swim," the title track of Arirang — BTS's fifth full-length studio album marking the group's return — has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit in the United States. Agency Big Hit Music swiftly dismissed the claims as "one-sided" and signaled it would pursue an uncompromising response.

According to entertainment industry sources and foreign media reports Friday, a group of obscure American songwriters filed a damages lawsuit in a US court alleging that "Swim" unlawfully borrowed melodies and phrases from a demo track they had previously shared. The plaintiffs said the two songs share structural similarities that amount to copyright infringement.

None of the BTS members are named as defendants in the suit. The lawsuit targets the corporate entities and production companies responsible for producing and distributing the song.

Big Hit Music drew a firm line against the allegations. The agency said "Swim" was "a purely original creation produced through a completely independent songwriting process" and said it would "respond firmly going forward."