In May 2026, four American songwriters — Audrey Armacost, Aidan Rodriguez (sometimes referenced as Eden Rodriguez in reports), Adam Gokcebay, and Michael Campanelli — filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in a U.S. federal court in California. The suit targets NewJeans’ 2024 track “How Sweet” (released May 24, 2024), claiming it copies significant elements from their unreleased demo “One of a Kind.”
The plaintiffs allege they received an instrumental track in January 2024 via their publisher (Pulse Music Group) and were invited to submit a topline (lyrics and melody). They created and submitted “One of a Kind,” but it was not selected. Four months later, “How Sweet” was released, with the first verse allegedly sharing a “quantitatively and qualitatively similar” 31-note melodic sequence and overall structure.
Chart Performance of “How Sweet”
Peaked at No. 7 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and performed strongly on global charts.
Top 2 on major Korean charts; significant streaming success (hundreds of millions on Spotify, contributing to NewJeans’ overall catalog nearing billions of streams).
Part of a double single release with “Bubble Gum”; bolstered NewJeans’ commercial momentum in 2024 despite the escalating HYBE-ADOR conflict.
Min Hee-jin’s Involvement and Motion to Dismiss
The lawsuit names all five NewJeans members (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein) individually, along with HYBE entities, ADOR, UMG, Coca-Cola (due to promotional campaigns), and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. The members are accused of co-authoring, owning/controlling rights, and profiting from the song.
Min Hee-jin has filed a motion to dismiss, arguing she acted only as a coordinator and producer, not as a composer or lyricist. She stated: “I am not a composer or lyricist, so I am a producer who has nothing to do with copyright.”
This stance has drawn online criticism, as Min previously positioned herself as NewJeans’ hands-on creative director and “mother” figure who oversaw concepts, music, and details extensively. Court-submitted KakaoTalk messages (accepted as evidence in related HYBE disputes) show her expressing displeasure when members did not thank her in award speeches and emphasizing NewJeans wouldn’t be successful if it wasn’t for her.
Legal Context: Under U.S. copyright law, executives can face vicarious liability if they had direct involvement, knowledge, or approval authority over the work. However, if her role is proven purely administrative with no input on music creation or clearance, dismissal is possible. No final ruling has been issued on the main case or her motion. HYBE/ADOR have denied plagiarism, confirming with the production team (BANA) that no infringement occurred.
Background on Min Hee-jin and Plagiarism Accusations
- April 22, 2024: HYBE initiates an internal audit of ADOR and formally requests Min Hee-jin to step down as CEO, citing concerns over alleged attempts to seize control of the label and other management issues.
- May 30, 2024: Seoul Central District Court grants an injunction blocking HYBE from voting to remove Min Hee-jin at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting. She remains CEO temporarily.
- August 27, 2024: ADOR’s board removes Min Hee-jin from her position as CEO. She is replaced by Kim Ju-young (HYBE’s HR specialist). At this point, she is retained as an inside director and initially offered a producer role for NewJeans, which she later rejects as “unreasonable.” This marks her effective dismissal from the CEO role.
- October 17, 2024: ADOR reappoints Min Hee-jin as an inside (executive) director via a shareholders’ meeting.
- October 30, 2024 (approx.): Court denies Min Hee-jin’s request for reinstatement as CEO.
- November 20, 2024: Min Hee-jin voluntarily resigns as inside director of ADOR and announces termination of the shareholders’ agreement with HYBE. This completes her full departure from the company.
This “How Sweet” lawsuit appears to be the first major formal U.S. copyright infringement lawsuit directly targeting NewJeans/Min’s work. Min has a history of publicly accusing others (e.g., HYBE’s ILLIT) of copying NewJeans’ concepts, styling, and choreography in 2024, which led to defamation countersuits. No prior major plagiarism lawsuits against her or NewJeans’ output are widely documented in searches up to this point; her prior controversies centered on creative direction disputes rather than incoming infringement claims.
Min is known for drawing inspiration from various artists and Y2K/retro aesthetics, a common practice in K-pop. However, this case shifts focus to her potential liability as a key creative overseer during the song’s development.
Connection to Broader HYBE-MHJ-NewJeans Dispute
The provided court ruling (Seoul Central District Court, Case 2024GaHap110222, judgment February 12, 2026) addresses the shareholders’ agreement/Put Option dispute. The court ordered HYBE (Defendant) to pay Plaintiffs (including Min Hee-jin as Plaintiff A) significant sums for share purchases, indicating partial success for Min’s side on the financial claims despite termination disputes.
KEMA (Korea Entertainment Management Association) and related bodies (KEPA, KMCA) have expressed concerns over alleged “tampering” with NewJeans contracts and urged thorough investigation, emphasizing industry contract stability. These statements focus on ethical norms rather than direct legal bans. Non-compete clauses in Min’s agreement (tied to a 5-year term ending November 2026) remain a point of contention, complicated by her removal and subsequent resignation.
